Power Profiles by Steve Kenson (Green Ronin Publishing) is one of my latest acquisitions in the Mutants and Masterminds line. It is aimed at both GMs and players. Suggested uses are PC/NPC inspiration, help building a character and in-session reference for power stunts and variable powers. Power Profiles is (US)$39.95 hardcover or $19.95 as a PDF. The book collects the individual M&M Power Profile PDF supplements (Drive Thru RPG has them for $1.29 each) and has some bonus materials.
All 30 Power Profiles, originally released in 2012, are included in the book. Effects descriptions in the M&M core book are general (e.g. Damage and Affliction) so that players can add their own Descriptors (Fire, Electrical, Time Travel, etc.). But this still leaves a lot of work. Figuring out the cost of Flight, some Immunity and an array of themed powers takes time, and – as with any system – takes more time if you are new to M&M. This is where the profiles come in. Each one covers a different power descriptor from Air to Morphing to Weather powers and for all kinds of variants. Does your character need a way to use their Darkness/shadow powers to teleport themselves? Or blind opponents with a mini-snowstorm? Each power in a profile includes the Extras and Flaws as well as cost (per rank or flat). Many powers also have suggestions for additional customization.
Each profile follows the same format – a Descriptor discussion; Features; Offensive, Defensive, Movement, Utility and Other powers; and Complications. Descriptor sections include not only general information on the Descriptor, but importantly, what can be Countered by powers of that Descriptor – and what can Counter them. And do not underestimate the usefulness of the rest of the general section. Did you think about how, or even if, Air powers might work on the atmosphere of another planet? How about will they work on a gas that isn’t found free in our atmosphere, perhaps because it is too reactive (like Chlorine)? Well, the author did. Complications covers those likely to affect supers who have powers with specific Descriptors. Many profiles mention Addiction to the rush of using that power type. Darkness wielders may deal with Prejudice because the dark has connotations of death and evil, so people may make sinister assumptions about them.
I did find these profiles very useful. For example, I used the Cold profile to come up with new things my ice-themed PC Yule Queen could do, as suggested in the Introduction. I found out how to blind targets with snow using the example Snowblind power. It didn’t matter that I wanted it to work by obscuring vision with heavy snow flurries, not light reflecting off snow as in the book; the mechanics and cost were the same. I also used profiles to learn how powers of various sorts were built, as another way of familiarizing myself with the M&M mechanics. Finally they got me even more enthusiastic about M&M. I started coming up with concepts and powers for other PCs – just for fun! (And just in case I have a chance to play in a different campaign or one-shot.)
The bonus content is six “By Design” sections interspersed between profiles. These are mainly aimed at GMs and discuss dealing with various aspects of mechanics or powers that can be extra-troublesome, such as time travel, ultra-powerful NPCs (E.g., “gods”) or those powers that can ruin certain types of adventures. While meant for GMs, players may find useful information as well – like how the GM can foil your Incorporeal or Invisibility powers in the name of a good gaming session – or just food for thought. Although I play healer/medic types in other genres, I had never thought of Healing as an ability that might spoil an adventure -but if it keeps an NPC who must die for story reasons alive, it can.
Overall, Power Profiles is a great supplement for players and GMs. I not only learned a few things about character builds, it was entertaining (a characteristic of most M&M products I’ve seen) to read through all those powers. Now if you have already bought all the individual PDFs, the “By Design” sections alone might not be worth the compilation’s cost unless you are a GM or a completist. If you don’t have all the profiles, I highly recommend picking up Power Profiles, since having at least one copy available for an M&M 3e group is a great idea.
Linda Whitson
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