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<blockquote data-quote="DSRilk" data-source="post: 4257763" data-attributes="member: 35212">Hit points are an abstraction, so a crossbow bolt isn't necessarily striking an organ.&nbsp; It could simply be a graze that pushes the enemy over the edge to the point of collapse.For many games, letting the players choose works perfectly fine.&nbsp; For those where it doesn't, using the same rules as for PCs works just fine (assuming the DM wants to track all that).&nbsp; As someone else said, easy alternatives are things like 0 is unconscious, save or die each round -- or die after 3 failed saves.&nbsp; I think this method makes more sense than trying to turn some hit point loss into actual physical (structural) damage when most is just an abstraction.To think of it another way (and the way in which I think 4e means it), 0 hp means beaten to the point of no longer being a threat.&nbsp; Given how vaguely hp are associated with tangible wounds in 4e, I think this makes more sense.&nbsp; The question then becomes what happens to the creature when it is no longer a threat?&nbsp; Depending on your need for &quot;realism&quot; and and/or a &quot;random&quot; universe with less DM or player plot control, it could be 0 = unable to perform actions other than threatening players in a hushed tone as they gargle their own blood, 1 failed save means unconscious but can be stirred to barely conscious with effort, 2 failed saves is irrevocably unconscious until healed to 1 hp, and 3 failed saves is dead as a doornail.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="DSRilk, post: 4257763, member: 35212"] Hit points are an abstraction, so a crossbow bolt isn't necessarily striking an organ. It could simply be a graze that pushes the enemy over the edge to the point of collapse. For many games, letting the players choose works perfectly fine. For those where it doesn't, using the same rules as for PCs works just fine (assuming the DM wants to track all that). As someone else said, easy alternatives are things like 0 is unconscious, save or die each round -- or die after 3 failed saves. I think this method makes more sense than trying to turn some hit point loss into actual physical (structural) damage when most is just an abstraction. To think of it another way (and the way in which I think 4e means it), 0 hp means beaten to the point of no longer being a threat. Given how vaguely hp are associated with tangible wounds in 4e, I think this makes more sense. The question then becomes what happens to the creature when it is no longer a threat? Depending on your need for "realism" and and/or a "random" universe with less DM or player plot control, it could be 0 = unable to perform actions other than threatening players in a hushed tone as they gargle their own blood, 1 failed save means unconscious but can be stirred to barely conscious with effort, 2 failed saves is irrevocably unconscious until healed to 1 hp, and 3 failed saves is dead as a doornail. [/QUOTE]

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