Death traps needed

[Kevin_MacTaggert]

If you're going to do that, just give them a hero point and GM fiat. Because when you have literally unlimited points to work with, and that's what you're doing when you're the GM, it's a huge dick move to just say "nope, it just so happens that this is built JUST to stop you from having a chance.

Especially when it turns out that more people have it than you would expect. Everyone is a luck controller in your world? Really? REALLY?

It's a twist effect, banning HP use. I wouldn't think of hampering PCs with it throughout the game - I like awarding Hero Points, as players can use them to overcome the tough situations, but as a GM, I need something that will occasionally turn the tide on the players, bringing them back to Roleplaying and a little less reliant of Powers and Power-Stunting to overcome every obstacle, as can happen - Thanks, Peregrine

[Belial666]

It doesn't actually ban HP use or power-stunting. For one, power-stunting does NOT require HP expenditure at all. You can power-stunt without it just fine. For another, it counters rerolls. Using a HP to remove the fatigue after power-stunting is not a reroll and thus it can't be stopped.

Secondly, if you start building traps like that then you are essentially shutting down PC powers you are not supposed to. PCs expect to be able to reroll stuff and it is not realistic (or fun for them) to essentially be railroaded to GM-intended outcomes by removing their chance to reroll through every opponent being a luck-controller. If you use it too much (and the PCs realise it) then every PC you are going to get from then on is going to have Second Chance: Traps (among other things) so players avoid what they see as an unfair GM tactic.

[Kevin_MacTaggert]

It doesn't actually ban HP use or power-stunting. For one, power-stunting does NOT require HP expenditure at all. You can power-stunt without it just fine. For another, it counters rerolls. Using a HP to remove the fatigue after power-stunting is not a reroll and thus it can't be stopped.

True - doesn't ban them - the focus would be Re-rolls.

Secondly, if you start building traps like that then you are essentially shutting down PC powers you are not supposed to. PCs expect to be able to reroll stuff and it is not realistic (or fun for them) to essentially be railroaded to GM-intended outcomes by removing their chance to reroll through every opponent being a luck-controller. If you use it too much (and the PCs realise it) then every PC you are going to get from then on is going to have Second Chance: Traps (among other things) so players avoid what they see as an unfair GM tactic.

It isn't " shutting-down " powers, but rather temporarily negating their ability to make Re-rolls - I mean, players can use Luck Control in just that fashion against NPCs, so why should the GM be prohibited from it ? " What's good for the goose ..." and all that. I find it incredibly contradictory to say GMs must always take " the High Ground " and never make use of the RAW as effectively as players can.

Keep in mind, MnM is a game that not only allows Player Re-rolls, but also gives players access to any listed Effect/Power the system offers ( within reason ) using Extra Effort - those are HUGE challenges for a GM to overcome - challenges that can unbalance a game very easily. In an outstanding podcast on " Vigilance Press " ( " Creating Adventures in Mutants and Masterminds ", July 13, 2012 ), Steven Kenson himself admitted MnM's key " game-balance Leveler " is Power Level, to which I agree - but PL doesn't account for the GM challenges I mentioned above. That podcast did offer some great ideas on challenging players, though, and I hope all the MnM GMs out there check it out.

In comics, and even using other RPGs, a gang of Minions can often get the best of a PC - I've had one MnM player whip through an army of Mooks using Takedown 2 - the scene was AMAZINGLY FUN, but the player's ability to do that was kind of unnerving for me, the GM. I prefer allowing players to play the character they want to, but I think it's perfectly fair that I use whatever tactics available within those same rules to make the game challenging to those players.

Thanks Belial666 - great points