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D&D isn't a simulation game, so what is???
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<blockquote data-quote="DND_Reborn" data-source="post: 8618517" data-attributes="member: 6987520"><p>While I think the HP/fuel analogy is <em>mostly</em> reasonable, there is a point where it just isn't IMO: You can have 1 hit point after being "run down" from 50 and your PC keeps going forever as long as you have that 1 hit point. Gas, must, by its very nature, run out if the game is simulationist at all.</p><p></p><p>But I fully understand your point, which is why a long time ago I advocated for attacks to not deal "damage" so much as they deplete your combat durability (e.g. hit points). Any "damage" in D&D prior to going to 0 hit points is really non-existent or "minor scraps", etc. which don't actually affect you at all. Sure, the text I cited in the PHB suggest that below half HP, signs of wear start to show. This could be minor scraps, or just profuse sweating from getting "tired", or whatever fluff you want. Otherwise, the hit points you spend in response to the damage you take is really just you expending "energy" to avoid serious injury.</p><p></p><p>With this understanding, the only hit points that are "meat" is really the last 1 hit point.</p><p></p><p>Regardless, it all breaks down anyway because hit points are too abstract IMO. The same mechanic is used for every potential type of damage in the game. Yes, this is super simple, but creates issues of damage from falling being equitable to damage from an giant ant bite or from freezing cold, and so on. Especially when after a decent sleep you can do it all over again...</p><p></p><p>I know many groups use house-rules for hit points, rests, and other things to deal with such issues; but other groups can blithely ignore them because they don't see any problem. I see dozens of issues... <img class="smilie smilie--emoji" alt="🤷♂️" src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f937-2642.png" title="Man shrugging :man_shrugging:" data-shortname=":man_shrugging:" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="DND_Reborn, post: 8618517, member: 6987520"] While I think the HP/fuel analogy is [I]mostly[/I] reasonable, there is a point where it just isn't IMO: You can have 1 hit point after being "run down" from 50 and your PC keeps going forever as long as you have that 1 hit point. Gas, must, by its very nature, run out if the game is simulationist at all. But I fully understand your point, which is why a long time ago I advocated for attacks to not deal "damage" so much as they deplete your combat durability (e.g. hit points). Any "damage" in D&D prior to going to 0 hit points is really non-existent or "minor scraps", etc. which don't actually affect you at all. Sure, the text I cited in the PHB suggest that below half HP, signs of wear start to show. This could be minor scraps, or just profuse sweating from getting "tired", or whatever fluff you want. Otherwise, the hit points you spend in response to the damage you take is really just you expending "energy" to avoid serious injury. With this understanding, the only hit points that are "meat" is really the last 1 hit point. Regardless, it all breaks down anyway because hit points are too abstract IMO. The same mechanic is used for every potential type of damage in the game. Yes, this is super simple, but creates issues of damage from falling being equitable to damage from an giant ant bite or from freezing cold, and so on. Especially when after a decent sleep you can do it all over again... I know many groups use house-rules for hit points, rests, and other things to deal with such issues; but other groups can blithely ignore them because they don't see any problem. I see dozens of issues... 🤷♂️ [/QUOTE]
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