Endurance question.

[Spence]

I'm about to start a mini-campaign involving a small supers team. For years I have used the 1 per 5 active cost for everything. That was how I learned the game back in the day and when Fred came out and gave changed it to 1 per 10 active with the option for 1 per 5. I just stayed with the 1/5 cost.

 

But now that I am going to introduce a new group to the game I was thinking of changing to the book cost of 1/10. I was wondering if it really matters, and if anyone out there remembers the game impact of the change. On the face of it a Super could cut his End in half to maintain the same effective longevity in the game. But things are never that simple.

 

Any thoughts would be welcome as I am wrapping up the PC prebuilt characters and need to make this decision before I finalize them and finish all of the villians and henchmen

[Sean Waters]

Re: Endurance question.

 

Well, at 1/5 reduced END was practically essential for anything you planned to use a lot of. Effectively you now have half END on everything anyway.

 

Running numbers: SPD 5 and a 50 point power WAS 50 points per turn. You'd be lucky to last a turn at that rate. Now it is 25, and if your REC is 10 you can probably get through 3 and a bit turns without keeling over.

 

It was a sensible move as, like I say, reduced END was essential, and so got bought as a matter of course. Of course, back in the day, each level halved END, now it is a simple two step: half or zero.

 

A lot of people still buy zero END but it probably is not really necessary any more for most purposes.

 

I would recommend the new END system: gives you more points to spend on interesting stuff.

[ghost-angel]

Re: Endurance question.

 

I found that 1/10 worked better if you had combat that ran over two turns.

 

My suggestion: Move to 1/10 and decide for yourself.

[Ockham's Spoon]

Re: Endurance question.

 

It depends if you want END to be an issue. For Fantasy Hero games, I use 1/5, because I want characters to get tired more quickly. But for Champions I like the 1/10 cost, because superheroes are above mere mortals and don't get winded easily. If they have a power that is supposed to exhaust them, just put the x3 END limitation on it.

 

If I were introducing new players to the Hero system though, I would definitely go with 1/10 so they don't have to worry about END so much, and you can mostly ignore it until they get a handle on things.

 

__________________________________________________________

"Trust me, I know what I'm doing." - Sledgehammer

[Spence]

Re: Endurance question.

 

Well I think it wll be 1/10. Mostly to avoid confusion when they all change to hero as their primary system.....

[Vanguard00]

Re: Endurance question.

 

It was always my opinion that any hero who couldn't go two full turns in combat because of END issues wasn't built correctly. That meant ungawdly high END scores back in the day.

 

These days it's much easier, and of course I don't plan on using max END powers each and every phase. But you might have to, so it's nice to know it's there.

 

1/10 is the way to go.

[ThatDarnCat]

Re: Endurance question.

 

Well I think it wll be 1/10. Mostly to avoid confusion when they all change to hero as their primary system.....

Way to be optimistic. You will also have fewer problems in the future when the rules lawer in your group buys a copy...

[zornwil]

Re: Endurance question.

 

I used to do 1 END/5 real points and went to 1 END/10 AP somewhat recently. Didn't seem to make a significant difference, but then again characters had plenty of points in general to adjust. On the whole it further decreases the importance of END, but I guess it's not so bad in the grand scheme of things. I'm assuming you weren't doing the +1/4 Adv per 1/2 END thing; if you change over from that, it's definitely more dramatic, you really feel END become less important. I made that conversion a few years ago and while I still think the old way was better in some ways, the current way seems to suit more people better.

 

BTW, it was not 5th edition that made the 1 END per 10 AP change, that goes back to 4th, or possibly even 3rd, but I think 4th (too lazy to check...).

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Endurance question.

 

I will echo the general sentiment of the others who have already responded. 1 END/10 Active is definitely an improvement over the early days.

 

Althought 0 END is now far more affordable than the 'old days' at the current price of (+1/2) it does come with a drawback. Anything it is applied to cannot use Pushing to increase its power.

 

HM

[i3ullseye]

Re: Endurance question.

 

The basic setup I have used since 4th is 1/10 AP, with the exception of basic strength. Normal strength, and thus physical hand to hand and melee weapons, is still 1/5. This really shows the difference between exerting raw force, and using powers.

 

Another effect of this, it works well in heroic level campaigns with magic or martial arts powers.

 

Consider this, those characters that will use the 1/5 on their strength most of the time will also be those characters with higher physical stats, and thus higher endurance. Those that rely on powers (or magic or psionics or whatever) tend to be build with less physical attributes, and less resultant Endurance. This tends to balance it out and you will find both will get tired at roughly the same time.

 

If anything the physical combat monsters actually outlast the others since their base recovery is also higher. So i use the heroic level rule for even my super level campaigns.