The game system is designed to allow players to create virtually any type of hero or villain desired.

Releasing the game under the d20 Standard Trademark License, as originally planned, would have prohibited the inclusion of ability generation and character advancement rules.

Presenting a complete game was seen as taking precedence over having a d20 logo on the product, so the decision was made to use the OGL without the d20 license.

A second edition of the Mutants & Masterminds system debuted at Gen Con in 2005 and saw wide release in October of that year.

[2][3] In the previous year, Green Ronin Publishing had released another superhero role-playing game, DC Adventures.

All aspects of the character, including abilities, feats, skills, powers, and equipment, are purchased from this pool of points.

The Mastermind's Manual rulebook includes notes for conversion to traditional hit points if desired.

Like many other super-hero role-playing games, M&M uses "hero points",[5] which allow an unlucky player to be able to hold their own in a battle, thus reducing the amount that luck plays into the gameplay.

A hero point can do several things, like allow the reroll of a failed roll of any sort at a crucial moment, including toughness saves to avoid damage.

Hero points are generally awarded to a player by the gamemaster when something bad befalls the character, such as the villain escaping without them having a chance of stopping him.

Text which is not "product identity" is already covered by the Open Game License; its use requires no further permission from Green Ronin.