D&D General What if Hit Points were the currency of the game rules?

[JeffB]

A few months ago, I came across a Dungeon World hack that was designed for Kids and people new to RPGs

The "Dungeons RPG" free download can be found HERE . It has proven itself in providing a non intimidating RPG experience for my wife and young daughter where other games such as very basic versions of D&D have failed. But on to the main point-

In "Dungeons"- Hit Points are not just traditional hit points but are also "effort" used to fuel die rolls, spells, etc. For example-. The spellcasters have "at wills" but spend hit points to fuel more powerful spells. Fighters can spend a HP to fuel great feats of strength , or a Thief on "sneaky" abilities (and the HP provides a bonus to the roll that will eliminate complete failure). Druids spend a HP to shapeshift, etc etc.

Personally- in play I find it far more interesting than typical "resource management" like Vancian Casting, or per X rest, etc. It's much more simple, and the resource pool is much more valuable to players and raises the dramatic tension "I can spend a HP now to make sure I do X, but I'm going to be lower than I want for that fight I know is coming"

So what do folks think about a D&D game where class abilities/maneuvers/feats/stunts/ spells etc were all fueled by ONE easy to track resource- Hit Points? Then certainly the "idea" of hit points as drive/luck/endurance and their loss and quick return upon resting would make compete sense in the context of the game (though the term "hit" still does not).

P.S- Happy New Year all!

 

[Garthanos]

A few months ago, I came across a Dungeon World hack that was designed for Kids and people new to RPGs

The "Dungeons RPG" free download can be found HERE . It has proven itself in providing a non intimidating RPG experience for my wife and young daughter where other games such as very basic versions of D&D have failed. But on to the main point-

In "Dungeons"- Hit Points are not just traditional hit points but are also "effort" used to fuel die rolls, spells, etc. For example-. The spellcasters have "at wills" but spend hit points to fuel more powerful spells. Fighters can spend a HP to fuel great feats of strength , or a Thief on "sneaky" abilities (and the HP provides a bonus to the roll that will eliminate complete failure). Druids spend a HP to shapeshift, etc etc.

Personally- in play I find it far more interesting than typical "resource management" like Vancian Casting, or per X rest, etc. It's much more simple, and the resource pool is much more valuable to players and raises the dramatic tension "I can spend a HP now to make sure I do X, but I'm going to be lower than I want for that fight I know is coming"

So what do folks think about a D&D game where class abilities/maneuvers/feats/stunts/ spells etc were all fueled by ONE easy to track resource- Hit Points? Then certainly the "idea" of hit points as drive/luck/endurance and their loss and quick return upon resting would make compete sense in the context of the game (though the term "hit" still does not).

P.S- Happy New Year all!

Totally intriguing, I worked on a spell casting system back in early 80 where hit points were used for spell casting this is better

 

[commandercrud]

The Conan minis game does this.

 

[Anoth]

That’s basically how numenera works.

 

[DND_Reborn]

As a spin-off, I was considering home-brewing using Hit Dice to fuel features such as Second Wind (would cost you 1 HD per use) and Action Surge (2 HD per use), and not having such features recharge on short rests. Monks would use HD as Ki, Sorcerers would use HD as Sorcery Points, etc. IMO spending HD is an under used mechanic and could have been incorporated into many features.

Also, this is how SWSE powered Force abilities, with Vitality points (a.k.a. hit points for the most part).

 

[Mallus]

My first thought was "if they're a currency, they can be exchanged between players".

 

[Blue]

I remember the old pocket games like Melee and Wizard (?) - casting was from HPs.

When 4e introduced Healing Surges, I thought they should be just called Surges power more than just healing, which is indirectly HPs for powers.

In a system designed for it, I'd be down with that.

 

[Big J Money]

What about consumables?

Potions, rations, torches, arrow, etc

 

[Fanaelialae]

I've tinkered with a system like this. In it, mages and fighters had essentially equivalent HP, but magic cost considerable HP so any mage functionally had less. I think I had it that HP started quite high (around 100) but grew very gradually with level. There needed to be space for both using abilities and taking damage. It's no fun if using a single ability puts you on death's door (or at least, such an ability ought to be the exception rather than the rule).

That said, I never got very far with it. IMO, it's definitely an interesting design space, but probably too big of a shift for D&D.

 

[Big J Money]

Rather than just ask a question, I should also share. Five Torches Deep has the most innovative inventory system I've seen of the various indy or OSR games:

1. You state that you will buy at least 1 of any item you want to bring (arrow, torch, ration, etc)
2. Now you can spend gold on "Supply". Supply is a currency that covers all of the above. As long as you state that you have purchased it, it's a part of supply now.

5 supply = 1 load. Encumbrance is determined by load. So not only is inventory currency easy to track, but encumbrance is also.

Back to my question, I'm curious if you would use HP also for material currency such as these things (even gold?) or if the game adds more currencies for these things, and HP is only for currency that is inherent to a character (skills, abilities, etc).