MUTANTS &

MASTERMINDS

HERO’S HANDBOOK
4TH EDITION PLAYTEST - ORIGIN EDITION
4TH EDITION PLAYTEST - ORIGIN EDITION
THE FUTURE OF SUPERHERO RPGS!
F
or more than twenty years, the Mutants & Masterminds superhero roleplaying game has empowered the
imaginations of countless players. Now you can help determine the future of the World’s Greatest Superhero RPG
with the Mutants & Masterminds Origin Edition playtest!

This Origin Edition contains a complete playtest version of the upcoming Fourth Edition of the game. Contained in its
pages is all you need to create heroic characters, play out epic super-battles, thwart the schemes of the vilest villains, and
save the world—all with just a single twenty-sided die!

Try out refined power creation effects, updated hero archetypes, an adjusted rank scale, new advantage and action
options, and more, all with the same fast-playing system M&M is known for. Then share your experiences and feedback
with us to determine the final form of the next edition of the game.

The world needs heroes like you to help save it! The game needs you to make it even better! So create your heroes and
determine the future of superhero roleplaying with the Mutants & Masterminds Origin Edition.

HEROISM’S GREATEST TEST BEGINS HERE!

This Origin Edition playtest limited edition is not Open Content and is not released under any license.
NO AI CONTENT: Green Ronin Publishing LLC makes no use of generative AI tools for any of the
content of its products and supports human-created works in all aspects of the creative process.

GRR5600E Mutants & Masterminds Hero’s Handbook: Origin Edition is ©2025

GREEN RONIN PUBLISHING

PDF
Green Ronin Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. References to
3815 S. Othello St., Suite 100 #311 other copyrighted material in no way constitute a challenge to
Seattle, WA 98118 the respective copyright holders of that material. Green Ronin® is
a Registered Trademark of Green Ronin Publishing, LLC. Mutants
Email: custserv@greenronin.com & Masterminds and its associated logos are trademarks of Green
Web Site: www.greenronin.com Ronin Publishing, LLC.
 MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS
HERO’S HANDBOOK ORIGIN EDITION 4TH EDITION PLAYTEST

LEAD DESIGN: STEVE KENSON DEVELOPMENT: STEVE KENSON AND ALEXANDER THOMAS
GRAPHIC DESIGN: HAL MANGOLD ART DIRECTION: HAL MANGOLD
COVER ART: CONCEPTOPOLIS, RAMON PEREZ, ALÉ GARZA, UDON FEATURING CHRIS STEVENS
INTERIOR ART: CHRIS BALASKAS, BRETT BARKLEY, TAZIO BETTIN & ENRICA EREN ANGIOLINI, DARREN CALVERT,
DENNIS CALERO, JEFF CARLISLE, ANTHONY CASTRILLO, CONCEPTOPLIS, STORN COOK, TALON DUNNING,
STEVE ELLIS, ALBERTO FOCHE, ALÉ GARZA, ANTHONY GRABSKI, GEORGES JEANTY, IMAGINARY FRIENDS STUDIO,
SEAN IZAAKSE, SCOTT JAMES, CHRISTOPHER JONES, JONATHAN KIRTZ, DENIS MEDRI, DOMENICO NEZITI,
IVAN NUNES, OCTOGRAPHICS, AXEL ORTIZ, TONY PARKER, RAMON PEREZ, ALEX SHEIKMAN, KEVIN STOKES,
ANDREW TRABBOLD, AND UDON FEATURING CHRIS STEVENS
PUBLISHER: CHRIS PRAMAS
TEAM RONIN: KARA HAMILTON, TROY HEWITT, STEVEN JONES, STEVE KENSON, IAN LEMKE, NICOLE LINDROOS,
HAL MANGOLD, CHRIS PRAMAS, EVAN SASS, MALCOLM SHEPPARD, DYLAN TEMPLAR, AND ALEXANDER THOMAS
ALPHA PLAYTESTERS: Jason Altland, Brandon Brewer (Murdoc NO AI CONTENT: Green Ronin Publishing LLC makes no use of
Addams, Tracy Brewer, Arin Bryson, Sean Couvillion, Steven Dabelow, generative AI tools for any of the content of its products and
Joey Mathews, Adam Wagster), ‘Nathan Burgoine (Jason Lawrence, supports human-created works in all aspects of the creative process.
Kim Shier, Dan Smith), Mark Dutelle, Dominic Fucile (RavenofRazgriz,
Mutants & Masterminds Hero’s Handbook: Origin Edition is ©2025
Corbinion, Auranon, Michael D. Holman and Matthew A. Newcombe, Green Ronin Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. References to
Eli, Deryn, Morgan, Langston_hughes), Laura Hamel, Andy Jaksetic, other copyrighted material in no way constitute a challenge to
Doctor Malsyn (The Isle of Dr. Mordei Playtest Group), Paul McNeil, the respective copyright holders of that material. Green Ronin® is
Pól Rua, Jerald Schrimsher, and Zahn_Corso a Registered Trademark of Green Ronin Publishing, LLC. Mutants &
WITH THANKS TO: Leon Chang, Crystal Fraiser, Glenn Hall, Seth Masterminds and its associated logos are trademarks of Green Ronin
Johnson, Jon Leitheusser, Christopher McGlothlin, M.Ed., Erik Publishing, LLC.
Mona, Steven E. Schend, Alexander Thomas, Ray Winninger, the Printed in the USA
members of the Atomic Think Tank, both past and present, and all
GREEN RONIN PUBLISHING
the countless players, creators, and artists who have helped shape
3815 S. Othello St., Suite 100 #311
Mutants & Masterminds over the years.
Seattle, WA 98118
NOTE: This Origin Edition playtest limited edition is not Open Content Email: custserv@greenronin.com
and is not released under any license. Web Site: www.greenronin.com

1
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
FOREWORD ............................. 4 WARRIOR................................................................ 41 4: SKILLS ..............................62
WEAPON EXPERT.................................................42
SKILL BASICS ......................................................62
INTRODUCTION ....................... 6 HERO DESIGN ......................................................43
ACQUIRING SKILLS ..............................................62
1. HERO CONCEPT ................................................43
WHAT IS A ROLEPLAYING GAME? .........................6 USING SKILLS ......................................................64
2. GAME MASTER GUIDELINES...........................43
WHAT IS MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS? ................6 UNTRAINED SKILL CHECKS ................................64
3. POWER LEVEL ..................................................43
WHAT IS THE ORIGIN EDITION? ............................6 COMBAT SKILLS ...................................................64
4. SPEND POWER POINTS ..................................43
CHARACTERS...........................................................7 INTERACTION SKILLS ..........................................64
5. COMPLICATIONS..............................................43
WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY .....................................7 MANIPULATION SKILLS .......................................65
6. DETAILS ............................................................43
USING THIS BOOK ...................................................7 TECHNICAL SKILLS ..............................................65
7. GAME MASTER REVIEW ..................................43
SKILL DESCRIPTIONS ..........................................66
1: THE BASICS ......................... 8 POWER POINTS ...................................................44
ACROBATICS .........................................................66
STARTING POWER POINTS..................................44
THE GAME RULES—AND GUIDELINES ...................8 ATHLETICS .............................................................67
SPENDING POWER POINTS ................................44
THE GAME PREMISES .............................................8 CLOSE COMBAT ....................................................68
POWER LEVEL ......................................................44
THE GAME MASTER.................................................8 DECEPTION ...........................................................69
COMPLICATIONS .................................................46
THE HEROES .......................................................... 10 DISGUISE ..............................................................69
CHOOSING COMPLICATIONS ..............................46
RANKS & MEASURES............................................. 11 EXPERTISE.............................................................70
BACKGROUND......................................................49
GAME PLAY ...........................................................14 INSIGHT ...................................................................71
NAME .....................................................................49
SCENES .................................................................. 14 INTIMIDATION ........................................................72
ORIGIN ...................................................................49
CHECKS .................................................................. 14 INVESTIGATION .....................................................72
AGE ........................................................................50
ROUNDS AND ACTIONS ........................................ 19 LANGUAGES...........................................................74
APPEARANCE .......................................................50
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER.................................20 MAGIC .....................................................................74
PERSONALITY ....................................................... 51
EXTRA EFFORT .....................................................20 PERCEPTION..........................................................75
HERO ADVANCEMENT & IMPROVEMENT ..............51
HERO POINTS ........................................................ 21 PERFORMANCE .....................................................75
INCREASING POWER LEVEL ................................ 51
PLOT COMPLICATIONS ........................................ 22 PERSUASION .........................................................76
MINIONS................................................................ 23 3: ABILITIES ..........................52 RANGED COMBAT..................................................76
MENACES .............................................................. 23 SLEIGHT OF HAND.................................................77
ABILITY RANK......................................................52
CONDITIONS ........................................................23 STEALTH .................................................................77
ACQUIRING ABILITY RANKS ............................... 52
CONDITION DESCRIPTIONS .................................24 SURVIVAL...............................................................78
THE ABILITIES .....................................................52
TECHNOLOGY.........................................................78
2: HERO CREATION ............... 26 COMBAT ABILITIES ..............................................55
TREATMENT ...........................................................79
ACQUIRING COMBAT ABILITY RANKS ...............55
HERO ARCHETYPES .............................................26 VEHICLES ...............................................................79
REDUCED COMBAT ABILITIES ............................55
CUSTOMIZING ARCHETYPES .............................. 26
BATTLESUIT ..........................................................28
RESISTANCES ......................................................55 5: ADVANTAGES ....................80
ACQUIRING RESISTANCE RANKS .......................55
BLASTER ...............................................................29 ACQUIRING ADVANTAGES ...................................80
RESISTANCE CHECKS ..........................................56
CONSTRUCT ..........................................................30 ADVANTAGE PARAMETERS .................................80
ALTERING ABILITIES ............................................56
CRIME-FIGHTER .................................................... 31 TYPES OF ADVANTAGES ......................................80
ENHANCED ABILITIES .........................................56
GADGETEER .......................................................... 32 HEROIC FEATS ......................................................80
IMPAIRED & DISABLED ABILITIES .....................56
MARTIAL ARTIST .................................................. 33 ADVANTAGE DESCRIPTIONS...............................80
DEBILITATED ABILITIES .......................................56
MENTALIST............................................................34 FIGHTING STYLES ................................................95
ABSENT ABILITIES ................................................57
METAMORPH ........................................................ 35 LEADERSHIP STYLES ..........................................95
CHARACTERISTICS ..............................................58
MYSTIC .................................................................. 36
SIZE........................................................................58
PARAGON ...............................................................37
STRENGTH: LIFTING AND THROWING................60
6: POWERS............................96
POWERHOUSE ......................................................38 ACQUIRING POWERS ...........................................96
SPEED AND MOVEMENT .....................................60
PRIMAL.................................................................. 39 EFFECT TYPES ......................................................96
SENSES AND PERCEPTION .................................. 61
SPEEDSTER ..........................................................40 POWER COSTS......................................................98

2 MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS • ORIGIN EDITION • TABLE OF CONTENTS

CONFIGURING POWERS ......................................98 TELEPORT ............................................................144 STOCK CONSTRUCTS ..........................................189
SINGLE EFFECT POWERS ....................................98 TRANSMUTE ........................................................145
MULTI-EFFECT POWERS ......................................98 VARIABLE .............................................................146 8: ACTION AND ADVENTURE 190
POWER ARRAYS ...................................................98 POWER MODIFIERS ........................................... 148 SCENES ............................................................. 190
IMPROVISED EFFECTS.........................................99 APPLYING MODIFIERS ........................................148 SCENE LENGTH ...................................................190
POWER DESCRIPTORS ........................................101 EXTRAS ................................................................148 SCENE TYPES ......................................................190
USING POWERS ................................................. 104 FLAWS .................................................................. 157 ROUNDS..............................................................192
EFFECT PARAMETERS ........................................104 SPACES...............................................................192
COUNTERING EFFECTS .......................................105 7: EQUIPMENT......................162 SPACES AND MAPS ............................................192
POWER EFFECTS ................................................107 ACQUIRING EQUIPMENT ....................................162 INITIATIVE ............................................................192
AFFLICTION .......................................................... 107 DAMAGING EQUIPMENT .....................................162 ACTION TYPES .....................................................193
BURROWING .........................................................110 UTILITY EQUIPMENT...........................................162 ACTING IN ROUNDS ............................................194
COMMUNICATION..................................................111 DEFENSIVE UTILITIES.........................................164 CONFLICTS .........................................................195
COMPREHEND ......................................................112 GENERAL UTILITIES ............................................164 DEFENSE AND RESISTANCE ..............................195
CONCEALMENT ....................................................113 MOVEMENT UTILITIES ........................................165 ATTACK CHECKS ..................................................195
CREATE ..................................................................114 THE UTILITY KIT ..................................................165 RANGE ..................................................................196
DAMAGE ................................................................116 WEAPONS...........................................................166 DAMAGE ............................................................... 197
DEFLECT ................................................................116 WEAPON TRAITS .................................................166 RECOVERY ...........................................................198
ELONGATION ......................................................... 117 CLOSE WEAPONS................................................166 IMPRESS CHECKS ...............................................199
ENHANCED MOVEMENT ......................................118 RANGED WEAPONS ............................................168 ACTIONS ..............................................................200
ENHANCED SENSES ............................................119 OTHER RANGED WEAPONS ...............................170 HERO POINTS & CONFLICT SCENES ................205
ENHANCED TRAIT ...............................................122 WEAPON ACCESSORIES.....................................170 CHALLENGES .....................................................205
ENVIRONMENT ....................................................122 GRENADES AND EXPLOSIVES ...........................170 CHALLENGES AND INITIATIVE ..........................205
EXTRA LIMBS.......................................................124 ARMOR ................................................................171 NARRATIVE CHALLENGES.................................205
FEATURE...............................................................125 ARCHAIC ARMOR ................................................. 171 CHALLENGE CHECKS.........................................205
FLIGHT ..................................................................126 MODERN ARMOR.................................................. 171 CHALLENGE SEQUENCES .................................206
FORTUNE CONTROL ............................................ 127 SHIELDS ............................................................... 172 CHALLENGES AND CONSEQUENCES ............... 207
GROWTH ............................................................... 127 VEHICLES ...........................................................172 HERO POINTS & CHALLENGE SCENES ............ 207
HEALING...............................................................128 VEHICLE TRAITS .................................................. 172 ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS..............................208
ILLUSION ..............................................................129 VEHICLE FEATURES ............................................ 175 INVESTIGATIONS ............................................... 214
IMMUNITY ............................................................129 VEHICLE POWERS............................................... 175 NARRATIVE INVESTIGATIONS ............................214
INSUBSTANTIAL ..................................................130 VEHICLE MODIFIERS .......................................... 176 INVESTIGATION CHECKS ....................................214
LEAPING ...............................................................132 VEHICLES IN ACTION ......................................... 176 INVESTIGATION SEQUENCES .............................214
LIFTING .................................................................133 VEHICLE COMBAT ............................................... 177 HERO POINTS & INVESTIGATION SCENES .......216
MIND READING ....................................................133 CHASES AND RACES........................................... 177 INTERACTIONS ...................................................216
MORPH .................................................................134 GROUND VEHICLES.............................................178 NARRATIVE INTERACTIONS ...............................216
MOVE OBJECT .....................................................134 WATER VEHICLES................................................179 INTERACTION CHECKS .......................................217
NULLIFY ...............................................................136 AIR VEHICLES ......................................................179 INTERACTION SEQUENCES ................................217
OBSCURE ............................................................. 137 SPACE VEHICLES ................................................179 HERO POINTS & INTERACTION SCENES...........219
POSTCOGNITION ................................................. 137 SPECIAL VEHICLES .............................................179
PRECOGNITION....................................................138 INSTALLATIONS ................................................. 180 GLOSSARY...........................220
PROTECTION ........................................................138 INSTALLATION TRAITS .......................................180
QUICKNESS..........................................................138 INSTALLATION FEATURES ...................................181 APPENDIX:
REGENERATION ...................................................139 INSTALLATION EFFECTS .....................................186 REFERENCE TABLES ........ 227
REMOTE SENSING...............................................140 STOCK INSTALLATIONS ...................................... 187
SHRINKING ...........................................................141 CONSTRUCTS......................................................187 INDEX .................................. 237
SPEED...................................................................142 CONSTRUCT CREATION ...................................... 187
SUMMON ..............................................................143 COMMANDING CONSTRUCTS ............................188
CHARACTER SHEET.............239
SWIMMING...........................................................144 DAMAGING & REPAIRING CONSTRUCTS ..........189

MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS • ORIGIN EDITION • TABLE OF CONTENTS 3

 FOREWORD
W
elcome, heroes, to the Origin Edition of the Mutants & Masterminds Hero’s Handbook, your
opportunity to participate in the growth and development of the fourth edition of Green
Ronin’s long-running superhero roleplaying game!
This book represents the next step for Mutants & Masterminds, first published in 2002 as a part of
the “d20 Boom” following the release of the third edition of Dungeons & Dragons and the Open
Gaming License. The third edition of M&M, released in 2011, has been its longest-lasting, but time
moves on for us all, and Green Ronin’s first RPG is due for a refresh and an update.

That process actually began a couple of years ago, and has brought us to this “beta-test” version of
the Mutants & Masterminds rules. The alpha-test took place with the Cape & Cowl Club of subscrib-
ers on Green Ronin’s Atomic Think Tank forums, and their feedback led to this current iteration.
We’ve incorporated years of feedback about the third edition, as well as playtest on ideas for the
new edition.

Our goals for this new edition are to maintain the qualities of flexible character design, fast-play-
ing resolution, and completeness fans of Mutants & Masterminds have always loved, while work-
ing to make the game more clear, consistent, and easy-to-use. Long-time M&M players will find
some elements and inspirations from earlier editions, while gamers familiar with a wide range of
RPGs may find similarities to other elements of design and game-play.

Mutants & Masterminds evolved considerably from its roots over the past twenty years, and that
process continues with this new edition. Although the core of the game remains the same, devel-
opments in game design and game licensing call for a new approach. Please note that the Origin
Edition playtest material is not released under the Open Gaming License—or any other license—
and is not Open Content. Green Ronin is working with our Super-Powered by M&M licensing
partners on a new and even more flexible licensing structure for the fourth edition.

We hope you will take the opportunity to bring the Origin Edition to your game-table—physical or
virtual—and put it through its paces with your gaming group. When you have, the Atomic Think
Tank community is waiting to offer you opportunities to provide us with feedback about what
you liked and didn’t in order to improve, refine, and get the new edition of Mutants & Masterminds
ready for release. Visit the Atomic Think Tank at atomicthinktank.com for how to submit your in-
sights to us and for the most up-to-date news and information about the playtest and the new
edition, including additional playtest resources as we progress.

Eventually, the Hero’s Handbook will see release as the core rulebook for the fourth edition of Mu-
tants & Masterminds, to be closely followed by the Mastermind’s Manual, a guide for Game Masters
in running the game and creating their own settings, adventures, and antagonists. Beyond that
will come collections of villainous foes to fight, more Astonishing Adventures, superheroic settings
both classic and new, and much more as Green Ronin Publishing produces Mutants & Master-
minds products for the next decade or more.

The world need heroes! Gather your friends and take up your own Origin. The next development
in superhero roleplaying has arrived. Will you help us make it the best it can possibly be?

Steve Kenson, Designer

Alex Thomas, Developer
Chris Pramas, President
and the entire Green Ronin team.

THE WORLD NEEDS HEROES!

4 MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS • ORIGIN EDITION • FOREWORD
5
 INTRODUCTION
W
ho hasn’t wished to be a superhero at one time or another? Who hasn’t wanted amazing powers of super-strength, invulnerability,
or—most of all—the power to fly? The power to help and save people in need? Superheroes have been a part of our culture for gener-
ations. They have become a kind of modern mythology: tales of heroes and villains with powers and abilities beyond those of ordinary
mortals, in a never-ending battle of good versus evil.
Superheroes have been a part of the world of roleplaying for quite some time, too. It’s been decades since the release of the first superhero
roleplaying games, which allowed players to create their own heroes and tell stories of their battles against the forces of evil. Mutants & Mas-
terminds joined their ranks with its first edition in 2002, expanding the frontiers of d20-based roleplaying. It was successful enough that a
second edition of the game was released in 2005 and a third in 2011.

Now this newest edition takes the game a step further. Whether you’re a long-time fan or this is your introduction to the world of Mutants &
Masterminds, you hold in your hands the key to limitless worlds of super-heroic adventure. All you need now are some dice, some friends, and
your imagination to join the never-ending battle for justice!

You can get started with Mutants & Masterminds right away by taking a look at the Hero Creation chapter for different kinds of heroes you
can play, as well as how to build your own heroes from scratch using the game’s system of Power Points. Whole worlds of super-heroic action
and adventure are now in your hands!
The complete system to play Mutants & Masterminds IS found in this
WHAT IS A ROLEPLAYING GAME? book but, as noted in The Basics chapter, this system is made up of
A roleplaying game (often abbreviated “RPG”) has players taking guidelines, not hard-and-fast rules. No game system can encompass
on the roles of specific characters in a story. In the case of Mutants & every possible situation in a story, and sometimes you have to bend or
Masterminds it is superheroes in adventures like those in the comic even skip over the guidelines and do what makes the most sense and
books. In essence, it is like when you used to pretend to be a super- is the most fun for everyone. That’s one of the advantages of a role-
hero as a kid, just with more guidelines and dice, and sitting around playing game over a conventional board game or computer-game:
a table with friends rather than running around in a homemade You and your friends are in charge of how the game plays out!
cape (although you can still wear the cape, if you really want to).

One participant in the game takes the role of Game Master (“GM”
WHAT IS
for short). The Game Master sets up the story, tells the other players MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS?
what is happening, and controls the actions of the villains and sup- In the Mutants & Masterminds RPG, you take on the role of a cos-
porting characters. tumed superhero safeguarding the world from threats ranging from
The other participants, the players, each take the role of a specif- scheming super-criminals to alien invasions, hulking monsters, nat-
ic superhero of their own creation, the main characters of the sto- ural disasters, and would-be conquerors.
ry. Players choose their heroes’ actions and reactions. Characters This book contains all the information you need to play the game.
in the story controlled by the players are called player charac- The Basics chapter starts you off with an overview of how the game
ters (or “PCs”) while characters controlled by the Game Master are works. After you read it, flip to Chapter 2 and see the various op-
non-player characters (or “NPCs”). tions for creating heroes. Then you can read the following chapters
An RPG is a process of cooperative storytelling: the Game Master thoroughly to learn about the different character traits and which
lays out a situation or scenario for the players, such as “You hear an options appeal to you the most. The last chapter, Action and Ad-
alarm coming from the First National Bank!” The players then choose venture, details game play itself. There are a few key places in the
how their characters react (“We rush to the bank to see what’s go- book where comic pages illustrate some elements of hero creation
ing on!”). Things proceed in a back-and-forth manner, with the GM or game play.
explaining the unfolding story (how supervillains are robbing the
bank and trying to escape with their ill-gotten gains) and the players WHAT IS THE ORIGIN EDITION?
deciding what their characters will do (how one hero swoops in and
This “Origin Edition” is a playtest of what will become the fourth edi-
stops the villains’ getaway car and another tears off the car door, and
tion of Mutants & Masterminds. Apart from the text under this header,
so forth). In the process, the whole group creates an exciting story,
everything you see in this book has the potential for inclusion in the
just like you find in the comic books.
final edition. That said, nothing in this Origin Edition should be consid-
Like all games, roleplaying games have a system to them. The game ered “final” and everything is open to feedback and possible revision.
system help determine what happens during the game: is the he- In fact, we’re hoping you’ll bring this edition to your game table—vir-
ro’s attempt to stop the villain’s getaway car successful? Is the hero tual or in-person—give it a run for its money, and tell us how it goes!
strong enough to tear a car door off with her bare hands? With the
You can find out more about providing playtest feedback for the Ori-
game system, the players and Game Master have a common frame
gin Edition at by joining the atomicthinktank.com online community,
of reference to decide how things go as the story progresses, hope-
particularly our exclusive “Cape & Cowl Club” where the alpha play-
fully avoiding the kind of “Did not! Did too!” arguments from child-
testing of this book took place.
hood games of imagination.

6 MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS • ORIGIN EDITION • INTRODUCTION

CHARACTERS ing up with challenges for heroes. It supplements the material
found in the Hero’s Handbook, providing Game Masters with
The characters you create to play Mutants & Masterminds are like the lots of useful resources, but is not required in order to play or
heroes of their own comic book series, television show, or movie. run the game.
Your character might be...
• A patriot subjected to an experiment to create a government
THE DIE
super-soldier. Mutants & Masterminds uses a twenty-sided die to resolve actions
• An alien from a distant world, unfamiliar with Earth and human during the game. References to “a die” or “the die” refer to a twen-
customs, protecting the world from cosmic evil. ty-sided die unless stated otherwise. The die is often abbreviated
“d20” (for twenty-sided die) or “1d20” (for one twenty-sided die). So
• A brilliant inventor whose inventions might have served the a guideline asking you to “roll a d20” means, “roll a twenty-sided die.”
greed of unscrupulous corporations had they not been taken
and turned into weapons in the fight for justice. MODIFIERS
• A teenager coping with having strange powers in addition to Sometimes modifiers to the die roll are specified like this: “d20+2,”
all the other difficulties of adolescence. meaning “roll the twenty-sided die and add two to the number
• An immortal champion of the gods who has fought the forces rolled.” An abbreviation of “d20–4” means, “roll the die and subtract
of darkness throughout history. four from the result.”
• The offspring or descendant of a legendary hero, trained to fol-
low in their footsteps, but longing for a normal life. PERCENTAGES
• A master of the arcane arts protecting humanity from forces You can also use the die to roll a percent chance of something in
beyond its ken. increments of 5% – just multiply the value of the die by 5 to get a
percentage from 5% (a 1) to 100% (a 20). So if there’s a 45% chance
• An android with abilities beyond those of humans, searching
of something, that’s a roll of 9 or less on the die.
for the meaning of concepts such as “goodness” and “humanity.”
• A hell-spawned avenger sent to Earth to visit retribution upon
the wicked.
USING THIS BOOK
The best way to read the Hero’s Handbook depends on whether you
• Or anything else that you can imagine! The possibilities are al-
plan to be a player or Game Master in your Mutants & Masterminds
most limitless!
game. The Game Master creates the world in which the heroes live
Take a look at the various hero archetypes in Chapter 2 for some and controls all non-player characters (NPCs) such as thugs, cops,
examples of different types of M&M characters. and supervillains, as well as the supporting cast. Each player controls
a superhero they create, interacting with other player characters as
WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY well as with the world and stories created by the Game Master.

Here’s what you need to start playing the Mutants & Masterminds
Roleplaying Game:
PLAYERS
If you’re creating a hero for a Mutants & Masterminds game, take a
• This book, which contains everything needed to create a hero look through the Hero Creation chapter for an overview. The fol-
and play the game. lowing chapters contain all the information you need to create your
• A copy of the character sheet (found at the back of this book). own hero and learn about what they can do in the context of the
You can photocopy or scan it, or download a printable copy game. You may want to consult with your Game Master before cre-
from mutantsandmasterminds.com. ating a hero to find out what sort of series your GM is interested in
• A pen or pencil and some scratch paper. running, and what types of heroes are appropriate for it.

• Some twenty-sided dice, also referred to as a “d20,” available

from game and hobby retailers. You may want to have at least
GAME MASTERS
one die for each player, or you can share dice. If you plan to be a Mutants & Masterminds Game Master, you should
familiarize yourself with the whole book. Start by looking over hero
• Optionally, you may also want some counters to track Hero
creation in Chapter 2. Then read through the Action and Adven-
Points, like poker chips or glass beads or the like.
ture chapter, and familiarize yourself with how to do things in the
• Some game groups may also want to make use of maps and game. You may want to run a few sample combats for yourself using
counters representing characters like stand-ups or miniature the archetypes in this book, just to get a feel for things. As mentioned
figures, although they’re not necessary for game-play. previously, you may find the resources in the Mastermind’s Manual
• Additionally, you may wish to have a copy of the Mastermind’s useful, particularly if you are a new Game Master or unfamiliar with
Manual, an expanded book on how to run the game, from cre- Mutants & Masterminds. You can also find ready-to-run adventures
ating adventures and settings to roleplaying villains and com- and a wealth of other resources from mutantsandmasterminds.com.

MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS • ORIGIN EDITION • INTRODUCTION 7