Masterminds & Madmen is a sourcebook for Pulp Hero. The book includes over eighty enemies for the Hero system. Broken up into three chapters, the book changes focus from masterminds to organizations to solo villains.
Interior art is handled by Brandon Clark, Brendon and Brian Fraim, Robert Hawkins and Greg Smith. The cover is composed of several illustrations from the interior with added color. If you like the cover art, chances are you’ll enjoy the interior art. Page layout is standard two column with an exception. There is a smaller third column set aside by a black border between the main text and various Plot Seeds for the various villains in the text. For ease of reference, the book even includes an Index, a rarity in some publisher’s works these days.
White space use is fine for the most part but there are several sections of white space that probably could’ve been handled better with different sized illustrations or additional writing. For example, the Yellow Scar has a lot of information and takes up a lot of space due to his character write up, but his illustration is only of the upper part of the character and his entry leaves over a third of a page blank.
Characters are broken up into standard Hero methodology. This includes value for stat, characteristic, cost, and roll, as well as notes. For example, the Crimson Wraith has 15 DEX which cost him 15 points and provides him an OCV/DCV of 5 with a roll of 12-. The game stats are a little easier to see and edit than say Mutants & Masterminds where there is no line for cost included for quick double checking. This information does take up a lot of space though and forces these characters with cost listed to take a certain format.
Full details are listed for movement, characteristics cost, powers, total powers cost, disadvantages, and totals for disadvantages with a separate check line for powers and skills cost compared to total cost. This lets the reader do some visual quick math and see how powerful some of the enemies are. Of course game mechanics are only part of a character. We also get background/history with personality/motivation and the every popular quote. Part of the book is worth reading just to see what these unique characters have to say. For example, Flambeaux, the “mistress of fire” uses chemical fires to burn her enemies and is an attractive enemy to boot. Her quote is relatively simple, “ Do you…burn… for me, darling?”
Because Hero can be complex, the authors have included a separate section on Power/Tactics and because every reader’s time is valuable, a section on campaign use to get the villains into play quickly, ending with a section on appearance.
The first chapter, Masterminds, provides five different high-level opponents with their own organizations. Starting off with Doctor Fang Shen, a good substitute for say Skull Face from Robert E. Howard’s fiction or the more popular and well known Doctor Fu Machu, this Doctor has daughters who help him in his plans for establishing China as the supreme power of the world.
Other masterminds pay heavy homage to Pulp themes like the Skymaster, a pilot mastermind who has his own sky fortress or the Crimson Wraithe, a pulp fiction suitable for those looking for foes with a little more high end technology available to them.
Fiendish Organizations, chapter two, includes a small group that stands out as my favorite, the Frankenstein Mob with individuals who suffer various deformities, both mental and physical. For example, Minni “Nails” Harper seems completely normal outside of the fact that she is prone to berserk and murderous rages while Dr. Franklin Pescarelli has the appearance of the Frankenstein monster and the accompanying strength that goes along with his appearance.
Solo Villains in chapter three provide a wide range of individuals from all corners of the world and with all sorts of motifs making them perfect for the GM who wants to vary the menu of opposition. For example, if the characters are in Africa on some exotic mission, they might encounter Sir Jonathan Earle in his normal duties as a big game hunter and guide but may latter fall under his rifle as he seeks “the most dangerous game.”
Those looking for more Pulp in their encounters will enjoy hired hit men like the Electricutioner, an off site powered suit that provides it’s wearer with numerous electrical powers or the high flying jetpack using Skywayman or the sinister plots of the Scorpion.
The book is an entertaining read. Many of the characters have connections to other characters in the book giving the whole thing a gestalt feel. Because the writers include numerous details in terms of history and more options under campaign use, the GM should be able to use these villains quickly. For those pondering for more assistance even after reading the character descriptions, the section on Plot Seeds will provide a quick kick to the inspiration groin.
Sponsored by the Ennies http://www.enworld.org/ennies/index.html
