Depends on what you mean by “better”. Black Hand are significantly faster to level up, but they do less damage and have less starting hitpoints. Comparing Captain Ioshuwa to a RHTS, he’ll exceed a Relic Hunter Treasure Seeker’s hp after 15 points of Vitality, so depending on stat increase chances, it’s definitely possible that the Black Hand becomes tankier at higher levels.

Curiously, the guaranteed-spawn Cimmerian Berserker wasn’t hit nearly as hard; but then again, there’s only one 100 % spawn as compared to many RHTS spawns if you count the Wine Dellar as well as the various miniboss groups in the Unnamed City.

(I may be biased, but I think it’s fine that anyone named “captain something” is very strong.)