Hit Points--A study of humanoids.

[Garthanos]

I love your different takes on how to describe bloodied. The image of the Halfing Rogue question why he's even in the fight particularly.

Putting defense rolls and description of the results of attacks based on that in the hands of players really opens up some awesome characterization possibilities I never much liked halflings before.. built him based on the Baggins boys and found I empathized more with him than just about any of the other characters I have made.... I think its the everyman phenomena.

He is actually a rogue/warlord. ;-)

 

[the Jester]

Hit points being more than merely physical damage is not "fluff," it is an integral part of the rules.

Otherwise, how do you justify the warlord's ability to heal? Certainly, a character using his own skills and leadership ability alone with no magic cannot close wounds by ranting at them. How do you justify bardic attacks that deal psychic damage by insulting the victim?

 

[Garthanos]

Hit points being more than merely physical damage is not "fluff," it is an integral part of the rules.

Otherwise, how do you justify the warlord's ability to heal? Certainly, a character using his own skills and leadership ability alone with no magic cannot close wounds by ranting at them. How do you justify bardic attacks that deal psychic damage by insulting the victim?

3e apparently went and did something to D&D HP paradigm that I wasnt aware of... something strange resulting lava swimming and mountain jumping or something I don't think I was aware of till just last night... there are still people running around that have that model, I think its legacy thinking. The hit point definition was restored to what we understand it to be and what it was in 1e 2e OD&D BD&D etc. It takes adjusting to absorb the differences and there implications I am sure.

 

[Nytmare]

3e apparently went and did something to D&D paradigm that I wasnt aware of...

Nah, it was around pre 3rd edition as well, it's not a new idea. On top of that there were scads of other RPGs where hit points did equate directly to how much physical damage you could take, or that had secondary pools to represent how much will power, or sanity, or life force you had.

 

[Garthanos]

Nah, it was around pre 3rd edition as well, it's not a new idea. On top of that there were scads of other RPGs where hit points did equate directly to how much physical damage you could take, or that had secondary pools to represent how much will power, or sanity, or life force you had.

Yeah it was one of the first offshoots almost all of the ones I know that did it had next to no hit point advancement(Didnt D&D 3 still have huge hit point advancement?).... this seems a bit .. bizarre... but I guess 20th level is god rank right? Trying to understand and not coming up with as nice of opinions of the design skills applied to 3e that I had from casual looking before.

 

[Rachel]

Nah, it was around pre 3rd edition as well, it's not a new idea. On top of that there were scads of other RPGs where hit points did equate directly to how much physical damage you could take, or that had secondary pools to represent how much will power, or sanity, or life force you had.

Well put Nytmare! These other games may have contributed to my position on HPs being pure damage representatives. I have read the sourcebooks from about a dozen different games, many of which I think do things the way you described.