6 Plot hooks for your superhero games

Superheroes are an integral part of our current lives and culture, so it's fun to try the many RPGs where you play as a costumed hero. So, for all the masters asking, "What could be a good start for a superhero campaign?" We have six Plot hooks for you. 

These plots can work for any game with a modern setting that features superheroes. We Hope you enjoy them!

A military-grade nuclear submarine runs aground near a public beach.  

Mysterious sightings near a beach have sparked panic among the population. There are rumors that a high-grade military vehicle has disappeared. 

• Main antagonist: Rogue military general 
• Important NPCs: Guy at the beach, Loyal military person 
• Setting: Beach 
• Style: Heist to infiltrate the submarine against the clock
• Plot points: Panic at the beach, intel from loyal agent, location of the submarine, fight inside it

A pharmaceutical under the control of a villain is creating drugs that momentarily give powers to those who ingest it but have severe side effects on their health and sanity.

There is a bureau of DEA-like agents that must stop the Super Drug. But there are suspicions of a mole within their ranks.

• Main Antagonist: The head of the DEA-like apartment. Wants to secure the job of the agency in an increasingly peaceful world
• Important NPCs: Bob (your work partner and mission control), the head of the mob that distributes the super drug, your boss’s secretary
• Setting: Ney York-esque city
• Style: From a Starky and Hutch episode to a true, gritty, noir thing
• Plot points: The case is given, drug deal bust and attack by a super, lead on the mob, the mob is killed by Bob who turns super, discovery of the plot via Bob’s dead carcass, assault at the precinct, final boss

A group of computer bandits hijacks the city's security systems, unleashing a wave of crime.

The city is in chaos. Its security systems are failing, causing false alarms and sending help where it is not needed. Nobody knows who is behind this because every criminal takes advantage of the situation! 

• Main antagonist: Rogue Advance IA (Group)
• Important NPCs: Hacker, Police Department Chief
• Setting: City/Cyberspace
• Style: Rescue and Investigation
• Plot points: City in chaos, police chief missing, finding the hacker, discovering the group was a Rogue IA, trip to cyberspace, fight inside it

A retired superhero has decided to become the head of a new criminal organization. 

A previous hero disappeared suddenly. Now, a new crime organization has appeared and is slowly taking over the city. Is this just a coincidence? 

• Main antagonist: A Superhero already past his prime has fallen into hard times and will us his power to reverse the situation
• Important NPCs:  The right-hand man of the previous hero
• Setting: Normal city
• Style: Noir and investigation
• Plot points: New powerful mob head, unusual methods in the dealings, clues of a disappeared hero, who is the new mob head, heist to face him, convince him to come back or surrender

A villain voluntarily surrenders to the law in exchange for protection and information of a weapon developed by a rival.

Usually, you chase villains down, but this one came to the law, asking for protection and offering information. Could this be a ruse, or is a real danger lurking in the shadows? 

• Main antagonist: A corrupt general who commissioned the weapon
• Important NPCs: Ex-villain, Internal Security Agent
• Setting: High-Security Facility
• Style: Protection
• Plot points: Ex-villain is interrogated, the facility is suddenly attacked, some of the raiders are soldiers with high tech equipment, assassination attempt of the ex-villain by an doble agent.

An ancestral creature of destruction threatens to wake up thanks to the intervention of a group of villains.

There have been reports of a series of disappearances in the vicinity of an excavation area. Also, a cult that worships an ancient deity of destruction has increased their activity in the surroundings. 

• Main antagonist: Ancient Psychic Being
• Important NPCs: kidnapped people
• Setting: ancient temple
• Style: Rescue mission, horror antagonists, race against the clock.
• Plot points: A Broadcast of the villains is transmitted, they demand the surrender of all the countries, if they don’t, the villains will awake they god (proceed to show the sleeping monster). Finding some kidnapped people, one of them tells they wanted to feed them to the Being. The villains try to awaken the creature. The villains are in danger of being devoured by the creature. Fight with the awakened being.