“Try Before You Buy” is an occasional segment of Astral Projections. It spotlights free (or nearly free) supplements, quick-start rules, and modules for various RPGs.
One thing I think Mutants & Masterminds 3e has needed is more published modules. The Emerald City Knights (ECK) campaign has long been available in either a physical or PDF compilation or serialized PDFs. It’s a good campaign–I’ve read through the modules after hearing stories from my M&M group, who played it long before I joined them. There should have been more like that. ECK was supposed to be the first of a Heroes Journey series of campaigns, but sadly that never happened. Per staffers on publisher Green Ronin’s (GR) forums shortly after Cosmic Handbook‘s release, the planned cosmic Heroes Journey for that book never gelled, so was cut. I guess GR dropped the idea after that. There are a few free, mostly holiday-themed, one-shots and the Basic Hero’s Handbook includes a short arc.
But that changed in January, with the debut of Astonishing Adventures, a new M&M line. Once a month–just like comic books!–Green Ronin releases a new adventure for the system, costing US$4.99 each, usually for PL10 teams. Some (like Rise of the Tyrant) are intended to introduce the game to new players. At least one, The Reign of Cats and Dogs, promises to be lighthearted. I am going to pick this one up even though I don’t run M&M because–like a lot of people right now–I need all the lighthearted stuff, game or not, I can get. And I have a soft spot for superpowered animals. (See this and that.)
Most of the adventures are one-shots, but in April Green Ronin announced a 6 part mystical Astonishing Adventures series, NetherWar. NetherWar focuses on the aftermath of events alluded to in other M&M3e sourcebooks, the disappearance of Master Mage Adrian Aldritch and Una’s attempted invasion of Earth-Prime. “Prequel issue” NetherWar #0: Master of Earth was recently released.
Wondering if NetherWar might suit your next M&M campaign, or provide a change-of-pace in your ongoing campaign? Or you’ll be playing in NetherWar and have no idea what kind of PC to make or whether the concept you’ve been eager to play will fit? You can find the answers for free by downloading Astonishing Adventures: The NetherWar Series Guide. Unlike the overview for ECK, this guide is more than just short synopses of the modules, although it does include them.
For spoiler-free gaming fun, the Guide is 2 separate PDFs, one with only the Player’s Guide to NetherWar and a longer one with both Player’s and GM’s sections. The Player’s Guide gives some background, such as what Master Mages are; a few new benefits and gear; appropriate Complications; and uses for existing Skills, Advantages, etc. There are also suggested concepts for both teams and PCs. Some of these suggestions might work for other campaigns, too. And yes, we’re assured that you don’t have to play a magical PC to have a big role in NetherWar.
The GM’s Guide covers several things in addition to module overviews. First, are several questions that your players–or you!–might ask, of the “Why don’t ___ deal with Problem?” and “Whatever happened to/with ___?” types. There is a roster and information on villains you’ll be running, including their motivations for getting involved in a–for them–unlikely scheme. No statblocks, but I believe all of them can be found in other official M&M materials, and I would be surprised if GR doesn’t include stats in the appropriate “issues.” Speaking of sourcebooks, there’s also a sidebar listing useful M&M sourcebooks for NetherWar GMs.
Check out NetherWar, and the whole Astonishing Adventures lineup, for your super-RPG group.
Linda Whitson
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