Game Basics #4: Action Pool
As you have noticed in previous Game Basics, each Supreme comes with its own AP - Action Points Allowance. In each Game Round, the Supreme may activate multiple times to spend Action Points for performing Universal Actions (see Game Basics #5) and Exclusive Actions (printed on the Supreme cards).
Each Action has its own cost that has to be paid from the team's Action Pool.
Action Pool is a dynamic and ever-changing way of measuring how much your Heroes or Villains may do in each Round. The Pool is calculated at the beginning of each Round. The calculation is very simple: multiply all Supreme Levels (for instance the starter consists of three Level 2 Supremes and two Level 1 Supremes for a total of 8 Supreme Levels) by 2 and add 2 Action Points. Then add all the bonuses and penalties from Skills (for instance, Solar, thanks to his Tiara, benefits from Leader skill, contributing one extra AP to the Pool) or/and Actions (some Actions have the power of stealing APs).
Villains straight from the Starter Set are a Supreme Level 8 team so they start the Encounter with 8x2 + 2 = 18 AP. That is more than enough in the first Round to take positions and command Minions but you will soon find out that making the choices who should perform is becoming a real challenge.
Most of the Action costs range from 1 AP (as simple as Move) to even 6 APs for powerful multiple-target attacks.
Action Points Allowance of each Supreme represents the power limits of each Hero and Villain. A Supreme may never spend more points a Round than his or her limit.
Pulp City game thrives on combos, so called Combined Actions. Instead of performing Move* Action, waiting for the opponent to act and then performing Strike Action, a Supreme may combine two Actions and thus Move*+ Strike, effectively striking. Only Actions marked with an asterisk (*) may be Combined, but the options are limitless and truly strategic.
Imagine Ace of Wraiths Combining Hold* Action with his Queen of Blood Action. When Hellsmith comes charging at Ace, he triggers the Held Action out of the turn sequence to place three bullets in the giants body.
