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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Tony Vargas" data-source="post: 5934432" data-attributes="member: 996">It's probably been said already several times but:Rather than making hps do double-duty as both luck/skill/fate/endurance and actual physical injury, break them up.No, I don't mean another track of hit points that are harder to get back or more lethal, like stat damage or vitality or whatever.  If an attack does 24 hps and if you're out of hps it does 24 something else damage, that's really still hit points with a different name.I mean a separate, optional system for tracking serious wounds.  So, if you're critically hit or dropped to taken to a specific negative hp value, or hit while at 0 hp or fewer or whatever else seems like an appropriate trigger to indicate 'real' damage, you take a 'wound.'   A wound wouldn't be a generic number like hp damage, but a function of the attack that wounded you.  A spear would cause deep, bleeding wounds, a mace broken bones and concussions, a mummy's touch disease, etc...Each sort of wound, maybe based on damage type and a saving throw, or a special quality of the attack, would have a 'track,' imposing penalties until it heals, or risking greater penalties or death if not healed, treated or if re-opened by exertion.That would add grit and realism to games that want it, without having to have multiple hit point systems that whipsaw game balance and dictate campaign pacing.</blockquote>