Plot ideas for a low-powered Mutants and Masterminds first mission

[GnomishGesturer]

I'm creating a new campaign for a group of semi-experienced M&M players. They all know RPGs very well, but have done at most two other M&M missions. The setting is fairly low-powered and gritty, without the archetypes of spandex, cackling super-villians and radioactive spiders. One character is a recently escaped army boy with the ability to freeze time in localized areas (around the size of a room), a Japanese exchange student with powerful shapeshifting, and a young telekinetic.

I'm looking for a fun, smart mission, possibly with an element of mystery. The heroes are not out to save the world, and are at best mildly kind.

Thank you!

[Hopeless]

What Power Level are you planning on setting it under?

How much of the characters background can you explain for us?

1) The ex-soldier with limited ability to freeze time

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How long can he freeze time?
Does it effect only him or is it an area effect?

Is he being hunted or watched because he's a former Soldier?
Was he a product of a military super soldier program and if so are there others like him out there either also on the run or working for the government or the military program searching for him?

2) Japanese shape shifter

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Is this character supernatural in origin?
Are they a different power level from the others?
What's their story?

3) Young Telekinetic

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How young?

What's their story?

Can't really say more without more information on their background, however...

How did they meet?

What is their first adventure together, is this first game their introduction?

I'm looking for a fun, smart mission, possibly with an element of mystery. The heroes are not out to save the world, and are at best mildly kind.

As in Scooby Doo or Leverage?

[GnomishGesturer]

I've had all my players create characters at PL 7, but I plan for the mission to be fairly difficult.

Chronos:
One of five-thousand nameless orphans abducted by the military as possible members of a super-soldier program. One of eleven to actually demonstrate appreciable abilities. He is capable of freezing a thirty foot-radius of ground at medium range. People frozen in this manner are granted a Will save to be unaffected or slowed rather than frozen (the former is unlikely). This usually lasts around a minute, unless he concentrates on keeping them frozen. As a result of unconsciously modulating his own time-speed, he is a superhumanly good fighter. At the age of 16, Chronos was sprung from the military program by a private company for unknown reasons. He is now at large in NYC, and pretty confused about everything, but enjoying himself. Chronos was raised since birth as a killing machine. He is not evil, but psychopathically unable to understand the morality of his actions, which usually involve murdering people. He lives in fear of the government finding him.

Sanae Tazuke:
A Japanese exchange student currently employed by a celebrity inventory as a maid/bodyguard. The player is a fun guy, but a really bad roleplayer , so it would be useless to tell you about "Sanae's" personality and I'll just tell you about his instead. He won't do anything outright evil, mostly looking to explore and do crazy stuff. Sanae's power allows her to quickly take the form of any natural animal. The gills of a fish, strength of a tiger and size of an elephant are all within reach. The player is really flexible, he'll go along with whatever backstory suits him at the moment, and any mission.

Patrick Bishop:
Patrick was aware of his abilities since birth, rarely using his hands to play with blocks. His socialite parents took advantage of this, showing him off at dinner parties and such. He grew up without much human connection and is pretty weird as a result. He's very spoiled, and mostly just follows whims. He has the most social skills, but also possess some odd quirks. His power is simple and direct, rank 10 Telekinesis. While Patrick is capable of hurting people with his power (in some cases quite seriously), it makes him very uncomfortable to do so.


This is not the group's first game together, but it is their first with these characters, and one of their first with M&M. I'm glad you mentioned Leverage, that's exactly the kind of vibe I'm going for. Chronos is pretty much the leader here, the other characters will slide with whatever mission I throw their way. As for their morality, picture the Leverage team without Nate.

[Hopeless]

I've had all my players create characters at PL 7, but I plan for the mission to be fairly difficult.

Chronos:
One of five-thousand nameless orphans abducted by the military as possible members of a super-soldier program. One of eleven to actually demonstrate appreciable abilities. He is capable of freezing a thirty foot-radius of ground at medium range. People frozen in this manner are granted a Will save to be unaffected or slowed rather than frozen (the former is unlikely). This usually lasts around a minute, unless he concentrates on keeping them frozen. As a result of unconsciously modulating his own time-speed, he is a superhumanly good fighter. At the age of 16, Chronos was sprung from the military program by a private company for unknown reasons. He is now at large in NYC, and pretty confused about everything, but enjoying himself. Chronos was raised since birth as a killing machine. He is not evil, but psychopathically unable to understand the morality of his actions, which usually involve murdering people. He lives in fear of the government finding him.

Hired to function as a babysitter and bodyguard (as in keep him out of peril often his own making...) for Patrick?

Sanae Tazuke:
A Japanese exchange student currently employed by a celebrity inventory as a maid/bodyguard. The player is a fun guy, but a really bad roleplayer , so it would be useless to tell you about "Sanae's" personality and I'll just tell you about his instead. He won't do anything outright evil, mostly looking to explore and do crazy stuff. Sanae's power allows her to quickly take the form of any natural animal. The gills of a fish, strength of a tiger and size of an elephant are all within reach. The player is really flexible, he'll go along with whatever backstory suits him at the moment, and any mission.

So does he state what power he's going for like "Strength of the Bear" or the "Power of Ten Tigers" sort of thing?
Does he need to be in range of a suitable animal to duplicate their ability or is this more like Vixen (JLA Unlimited or Arrow tv series & her own animated serial origin) except they're the totem?
Maybe Sanae has her work as a maid for Patrick in return for some unspecified deal made with Patrick's parents?

Perhaps Sanae has to acquire a sample of Patrick's dna for her Inventor boss to analyse?

Patrick Bishop:
Patrick was aware of his abilities since birth, rarely using his hands to play with blocks. His socialite parents took advantage of this, showing him off at dinner parties and such. He grew up without much human connection and is pretty weird as a result. He's very spoiled, and mostly just follows whims. He has the most social skills, but also possess some odd quirks. His power is simple and direct, rank 10 Telekinesis. While Patrick is capable of hurting people with his power (in some cases quite seriously), it makes him very uncomfortable to do so.

No hero name?
Thought about linking a few alternate powers together at some point so he can simulate Super Strength, Flight or even Force Field?
Maybe he's looking for an outlet for his talents and selected Chronos as a suitable mentor?
Perhaps looking for a mentor is how they end up together?

This is not the group's first game together, but it is their first with these characters, and one of their first with M&M. I'm glad you mentioned Leverage, that's exactly the kind of vibe I'm going for. Chronos is pretty much the leader here, the other characters will slide with whatever mission I throw their way. As for their morality, picture the Leverage team without Nate.

You know the pilot of that series had the group brought together under false pretenses and they end up teaming up to get back at their employer...

Perhaps Chronos is involved in an operation to kidnap Sanae's boss and Patrick, but he's left behind or perhaps has his own reasons to intervene?

Lets say Sanae's boss meets Patrick's parents and their meeting is interrupted by an old nemesis of Chronos.
Chronos intervenes because he wants answers?

Sanae's boss and Patrick's parents are kidnapped forcing the trio to work together against the kidnappers and Chronos's nemesis?

Aftermath they need to work together to locate and rescue both Sanae's boss and Patrick's parents and only together do they have a chance... for example Sanae is able to track them perhaps by scent, Patrick is able to help them get inside with Chronos using his ability to get them close enough for Patrick and Sanae to surprise the guards.

Chronos's nemesis is revealed to have a boss who remains anonymous as they break in the question is do you want this to be about them trying to find their missing boss or parents perhaps revealing Patrick's abilities have a secret he isn't aware of and maybe Sanae's boss has a reason for employing Sanae that goes beyond her powers?

Do you want us to try creating PL7 foes ideas?

[GnomishGesturer]

These are excellent ideas! I especially like the last, it fits in with stuff I've used in other missions. A crime boss named Robert Dalton has very, very deep ties in the city this takes place in. At times his power rivals that of the government. It would be very interesting if one of his lieutenants were to capture Sanae's boss, although I can't think of why. I'd also love help with the foes. I've got thug stats, but ideas for interesting powered criminals working under the lieutenant would be good.

[Hopeless]

Character Name: Halcyon (PL7)
Aliases:

Brief Origin: Recruited as part of a governmental super soldier program developed the ability to generate a bio-electrical blast but was left for dead following Chronos’s successful escape attempt.
Rebuilding his life as a mercenary he recently discovered Chronos’s location and is considering capturing him to regain his lost prestige.

Strength 5, Stamina 5, Agility 3, Dexterity 4, Fighting 6, Intellect 5, Awareness 3, Presence 1

Advantages:
Accurate Attack, Agile Feint, Equipment 4 (Exo-Suit), Improved Initiative, Improved Critical (Bio-electrical Blast Array), Leadership and Takedown

Skills:
Acrobatics (2) +5, Athletics (3) +8, Close Attack/Unarmed (1) +7, Expertise/ Business (2) +7, /Science (3) +8, /Tactics (3) +8, Insight (4) +7, Perception (4) +7, Persuasion (4) +5, Ranged Attack/Bio-electric Blast (2) +5, /Guns (1) +4 and Technology (3) +8

Powers:
Bio-electrical Blast Array: 12pt +2pt alternate effects
Bio-electrical Blast: Ranged Damage 5, Accurate 2
*Strength Boost: Enhanced Strength 5, Accurate 2
*Taser Blast: Ranged Affliction 5; Resisted by Dodge; Hindered and Vulnerable; Defenceless and Immobile), Extra Condition, Limited Degree, Accurate 2

Equipment:
Exo-Suit: Consists of body armour covered by an exo-skeleton frame and a helmet
Body Armour: Impervious Protection 4, Removable (-2pts)
Exo-skeleton Frame: Leaping 3; Movement 1 (Safe Fall); Speed 3, Removable (-2pts)
Helmet: Radio Communication 2; Senses 2 (Extended Vision, Infravision); Removable (-2pts)

Defences:
Dodge (1) +4, Parry (0) +6, Fortitude (0) +5, Toughness (0) +5/+9, Will (0) +3

Complications:
Relationships: Formerly very patriotic being left for dead devastated him he still hasn’t overcome the enmity he feels for Chronos over his part in that debacle.

Weakness: Whilst outside of his body armour his powers short out when exposed to water, even then he cannot use his bio-electric blasts whilst underwater.

Notes: Assuming he was one of the guards of the facility Chronos escaped from, he was dumped in the lake during the subsequent chase and thought drowned.
He returned and upon learning he was thought dead took advantage to secure some gear and re-establish himself as a mercenary.
His powers were considered unremarkable unlike Chronos's and whilst he's tempted to capture Chronos to restore his lost reputation he is beginning to enjoy his independence as a hired mercenary enough to maybe one day rather help Chronos against his former employer than turn him over.

Hope this helps!