HitPoints fluff and crunch in 4th ed d&d

xechnao · Dec 28, 2007

It seems to me that HPs in d&d represent one's resistance to hazards. Thus, it made perfect sense that warriors, being the ones mostly dedicated to this had more HPs than every other class.

But in 4th ed, it seems so far that every class is dedicated to have its equal share of involvement in combat. If this be the case, it does not make any sense for classes having a different distribution of HPs, at least as far as combat is concerned.

So will HPs in 4th Ed be explicitly linked to the various power sources aka martial, arcane, nature, etch? If this be the case, then why not have HPs for every power source? Wouldn't it make more sense in a combat balanced system?

What do you think?

Whizbang Dustyboots · Dec 28, 2007

xechnao said:
It seems to me that HPs in d&d represent one's resistance to hazards. Thus, it made perfect sense that warriors, being the ones mostly dedicated to this had more HPs than every other class.

But in 4th ed, it seems so far that every class is dedicated to have its equal share of involvement in combat. If this be the case, it does not make any sense for classes having a different distribution of HPs, at least as far as combat is concerned.

I no longer follow you.

Other classes always participated in combat. 4E wizards are no more likely to successfully go hacking their way through combat with a broadsword than they were in 3E.

Why wouldn't they have different hit point distributions?

(And, for what it's worth, this is all theoretical, since R&C explicitly says that fighters and paladins have the most, clerics have less, rogues have less still and wizards have the least.)

Szatany · Dec 28, 2007

I have another issue about HPs.

In previous editions, hit points represent physical toughness, but also to some extent training, luck, an ability to turn a hit into a near-hit, etc.

Some of those things are also (better) represented by Action Points.

In previous editions, actions points weren't core, now they are. So I'm wondering if there is a chance that HPs no longer represent anything else than toughness and characters have less of them, but they also have actions points and are supposed to actively spend them every (other) fight to turn deadly blows into grazing hits?

I think I'd like that. At the very least it means each pool of points has a clearer definition, and other game elements that react with those rules are easier to design.

xechnao · Dec 28, 2007

Whizbang Dustyboots said:
I no longer follow you.

Other classes always participated in combat.

Participating and then being dedicated to are different things.

Whizbang Dustyboots said:
4E wizards are no more likely to successfully go hacking their way through combat with a broadsword than they were in 3E..)

Why wouldn't they have different hit point distributions?

You speak as if the HPs resistance mechanic is limited to when one just hacks his way with a weapon. If this be the case, then only those acting as warriors should have HPs.

Whizbang Dustyboots said:
(And, for what it's worth, this is all theoretical, since R&C explicitly says that fighters and paladins have the most, clerics have less, rogues have less still and wizards have the least.)

I do not own the book. Less of what?...be it HPs, participation in combat or both?

chitzk0i · Dec 28, 2007

Szatany said:
So I'm wondering if there is a chance that HPs no longer represent anything else than toughness and characters have less of them, but they also have actions points and are supposed to actively spend them every (other) fight to turn deadly blows into grazing hits?

Hit points will still represent all those things: training, luck, toughness, and so on. They will also represent your ability to turn a deadly blow into a less serious one, but on a more routine, background way. Action points will probably have an application for those times when the DM rolls a twenty and confirms with a nineteen. My feeling is that Action Points will have uses similar to but somewhat less powerful than the luck feats from Complete Scoundrel.

Plane Sailing · Dec 29, 2007

Szatany said:
In previous editions, actions points weren't core, now they are. So I'm wondering if there is a chance that HPs no longer represent anything else than toughness and characters have less of them, but they also have actions points and are supposed to actively spend them every (other) fight to turn deadly blows into grazing hits?

I don't think it is likely.

The very existence of a martial leader class like the Warlord tells us that there is likely to be non-magical healing happening - which is easiest to understand in the sense of morale boosting etc. I can't see how the Warlord would be able to heal anyones physical injuries with some words without using magic...

BarkingDeathSquirrel · Dec 29, 2007

Plane Sailing said:
I can't see how the Warlord would be able to heal anyones physical injuries with some words without using magic...

The Warlord killed the Truenamer and took his stuff

Whizbang Dustyboots · Dec 29, 2007

xechnao said:
Participating and then being dedicated to are different things.

That still doesn't clarify your position. How are 4E wizards different in this regard than their predecessors?

I do not own the book. Less of what?...be it HPs, participation in combat or both?

Fewer hit points. The classes appear to follow the traditional hierarchy in terms of how many hit points each gets.

xechnao · Dec 29, 2007

Whizbang Dustyboots said:
That still doesn't clarify your position. How are 4E wizards different in this regard than their predecessors?

IMO, fluff wise, wizards on previous editions were not monster fighting adventurers dedicated to resist hazards, they were rather guys dedicated to shape the world with the manipulation of arcane powers. They were the ones who knew how to create magic items, summon assistants, set fire on a field, rise a wall, teleport to a place, etch. Besides, the schools of magic reflected this kind of role. Now, it seems wizards represent more a kind of armed forces than say all purpose engineers, to put it in modern terms.

Voss · Dec 29, 2007

Ah. I see the problem.

Really, the basic classes were always about adventuring. You could pin some fluff background on a wizard and call him a scholarly shut-in, but really, the class has always been about dungeon-crawling, killing things and looting the bodies, just like everyone else.

HitPoints fluff and crunch in 4th ed d&d

xechnao

First Post

Whizbang Dustyboots

Gnometown Hero

Szatany

First Post

xechnao

First Post

chitzk0i

Explorer

Plane Sailing

Astral Admin - Mwahahaha!

BarkingDeathSquirrel

First Post

Whizbang Dustyboots

Gnometown Hero

xechnao

First Post

Voss

First Post

Similar Threads