Blog/Character Building Options

Four Ways to Build Your Hero: Character Creation in M&M 4e

Creating a superhero should feel as exciting as playing one. That's why we've built four distinct paths to bring your character to life—whether you're a veteran min-maxer or picking up Mutants & Masterminds for the first time.

Create Your Hero interface showing four character building options
The Create Your Hero screen offers four distinct paths to character creation

Point-Buy: The Full Experience

For players who want complete creative control, Point-Buy puts every decision in your hands. Allocate your power points across abilities, skills, advantages, and powers exactly how you envision your hero. Want a genius inventor with mediocre physical stats but devastating gadgets? A balanced brick who can take hits and dish them out? The math is yours to master.

This is M&M the way it was designed—flexible, precise, and endlessly customizable.

Quick Builder: Hero in Minutes

Not everyone wants to crunch numbers. Quick Builder starts you with a proven archetype—Paragon, Speedster, Mystic, and more—then walks you through the meaningful choices. Pick your power variations, select your skills, and customize the details that make your hero unique.

You'll have a balanced character in minutes instead of hours. Perfect for one-shots, new players, or GMs who need NPCs fast.

Try Quick Builder

Library: Stand on the Shoulders of Giants

Why start from zero? The Library contains official heroes, villains, and NPCs straight from the sourcebooks. Browse, find a character that fits your concept, and make it your own. Adjust the powers, swap some advantages, rename them—you've got a head start with proven builds.

It's also a great way to learn. See how the designers built iconic character types, then apply those patterns to your own creations.

Import: Bring Your Legacy

Already have a character from a previous campaign? Paste your character sheet—3rd or 4th Edition—and let the system do the heavy lifting. The importer parses your stats, maps abilities to the current ruleset, and flags anything that needs attention.

No more rebuilding from scratch when you want to revisit an old favorite.

Four paths. One destination. Your hero, your way.