Black Band Brigade Mini-Campaign (Part 3)

Speed, Endurance, and Recovery

In my prior post, I laid out the most accessible abilities of the Black Band and the Locus Crystal. However, there may be some things that a beginning GM or Player might not be aware of in the set up of these, centering around Speed, Endurance, and Recovery:

The END cost of each power

Each power in the multipower will cost 6 END to use each time. Therefore, using Resplendent Wings (for flying) and Umbra Beam (for blasting someone) will cost 12 END each Phase these abilities are used. If they only fly, or only blast, then the END cost will be 6 END only.

The END cost in a Turn

If the players did built their basic characters with a Speed of 2, which is what normals have in the Hero System, and they max out ability use each phase, they'll use up 24 END (12 END x 2 phases).

If the players built their basic characters with Speed of 3, and max out ability use each phase, they'll burn 36 END. And so on and so forth.

In theory, this should lead to players carefully monitoring the Locus Crystal energy reserves -- perhaps opting to use one power at a time and using their own abilities (running, jumping, etc.) which burn their own personal END.

I Need Speed -- Normals with Powers vs. True Superhumans

But they should be pushed to maxing their ability use occasionally -- and working as a team -- when they encounter true superhumans.

In Champions Complete, there are numerous differences between Normals and Superhumans. The Black Bands kick the PCs up from one power level to another, except in one key aspect: Speed. It's an expensive stat with Normals having 2 or 3 (meaning they only get to act two or three times in a 12 second Turn); Heroes having 3 to 5; and Supers ranging from 4 upwards -- your mileage may vary, course.

Ultimately this means that the Black Band PCs will encounter villains that can tackle two or more at them at a time, necessitating the aforementioned teamwork.