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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Herremann the Wise" data-source="post: 5892476" data-attributes="member: 11300">The problem is though that it combines actual physical damage with everything else hit points represent. Physical damage unless magically healed, is only restored relatively slowly (in terms of character adventuring) while luck, inner strength, divine providence etc works on a much more flexible time scale. This puts pressure on finding believable ways of "healing" that can match the typically desired pace of adventuring. Rather than finding a "patch" or "workaround" for the hit point system, why not fix the real issue at the core?Keeping hit points (not "vitality") as they are but extracting out wounds (physical damage) allows for much more exploration and flexibility of the hit point concept (for players that wish to do that). Hit points as a "morale" influenced resource make more sense. A warlord or fighter can increase the morale (some hit points), by defeating an opposing commander or pivotal combatant. A warlord can get more out of an ally who is spent (on 0 hit points), motivating them (giving them a chunk of hit points) to go on. A character through their own inner strength can get their second wind providing a suitable chunk of hit points. A rogue who gets lucky  (rolling a "20" or having their opponent roll a "1") might get a little spurt of hit points to represent "making their own luck". A cleric or priest might offer a specific prayer or blessing that gives a small chunk of hit points to all their allies. Seeing an ally downed by an enemy may give a surge of hit points to a witnessing character who carries utter revenge in their heart. Without the issues of such things confusing players by increases of hit points being confused with "healing wounds", there are a stack of situations for hit points to be gained in combat.On the other foot, there now become new and more insidious ways of affecting characters through hit point loss or possibly caps. Fear becomes a loss of morale (or a loss of hit points) which fighters, paladins and clerics might be more resistant to. A comment on another thread got me thinking that perhaps the loss of a loved one or ally could act as a cap on hit points to represent the mental drain and condition of a grieving character. A character who is fatigued might be capped at half hit points, an exhausted character perhaps a quarter. Again, the opportunities here are bounded only by the definition of hit points (a definition no longer weighed down by needing to consider actual physical damage).But what if traps that are not avoided deal wound damage or other penalties? A pit trap or fall becomes a much more focused on exploration element. That trap in the door becomes something that you don't just take an adamantine axe to. Traps should specifically "not" do hit point damage but target wounding or provide some form of specific penalty to the character. Doing that really does provide a focus on traps as something other than hit point speed bumps.Best RegardsHerremann the Wise</blockquote>

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