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Message: <blockquote data-quote="FireLance" data-source="post: 4550656" data-attributes="member: 3424">I've posted a longer and more detailed response elsewhere, but it boils down to:1. Hit points in every edition have been composed of both physical toughness and intangible aspects such as skill, stamina, luck, divine favor, etc., mixed in indeterminate amounts. It could be argued that 4e introduced new intangible aspects related to morale or the will to fight, but the basic idea of hit points being more than just physical toughness is retained.2. The key change made by 4e is that the intangible aspects of hit points can be recovered faster, and separately from the physical aspects of hit points. In previous editions, the physical and intangible aspects of hit points were depleted and recovered in equal proportions and at the same rate. In previous editions, a high-level character who was low on hit points would be covered with scratches, bruises and other minor wounds, be out of breath and possibly out of luck. In 4e, a high-level character could be covered in minor wounds but still be at full hit points because his intangible reserves of skill, stamina, luck, etc. have been replenished.As a side point to the above, the intangible aspects of 4e hit points can fully compensate when a character's physical toughness has been compromised. A 4e character could have sustained a life-threatening wound, i.e. brought to 0 hit points or less, and still be at full hit points after a short five-minute rest.In short, the key changes to hit points have been to the intangible aspects: depending on what you had previously lumped under the intangible aspects of hit points, the definition of hit points may have been broadened for you. In addition, the intangible aspects of hit points can now be recovered more quickly, in a manner not proportionate to the recovery of the physical aspect of hit points, and can compensate for a reduction in physical toughness, too.Of course, all of the above pretty much only affects the narration of what happens when a character loses hit points. When it comes to hit points as a game mechanic for telling me whether my character can keep fighting, 4e hit points are no different from hit points in any previous edition.</blockquote>

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