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Message: <blockquote data-quote="kennew142" data-source="post: 4126361" data-attributes="member: 18490">I heard one of the designers (I can't remember which one, but I think it was on the most recent podcast) use this analogy:hit points = per encounter hit pointshealing surges = daily hit pointsWherever I heard it, I like it.I believe that hit points will be distributed to character classes based on role, not on power source. It's necessary to have differing hit point formulas in order to model the different roles of the classes. Defenders are expected to soak damage. Controllers are expected to avoid it.As far as I know, hit points in D&D have never been described as raw physical toughness. They've always been a combination of things that include toughness, luck, combat skill, divine favor, etc.... While the mechanics of earlier editions have never actually reflected the flavor, 4e appears to have finally come up with a mechanic that accurately models hp as described. IMO this is a good thing.BTW, I have no problem with games (even D&D games) in which hp reflect only physical toughness. I just don't think that D&D (by the RAW) has ever been that game.I ran RQ and GURPS for years. Those games require a mechanic for avoiding hits (parrying/dodging/etc...) in order for a character to survive. They also used armor as DR. Combat (IMO) became boring with experienced characters. The attacker hits, and the defender parries - ad nauseam. Once the attacker does get past the defender's defenses, armor subtracted from the damage done.In one RQ battle, I saw five melee rounds go by before anyone ever landed a blow that damaged an opponent. Then, one character scored a critical hit with an impaling weapon to the BBEG's head and the battle was over. In other words, damage became binary. The first one to actually land a good blow won the fight. It may have been more realistic, but it got boring pretty quickly.Despite its lack of realism, and wonky mechanics, I'll take the D&D combat system any day. It is just more fun to hit and do damage (winning through attrition) than it is to have every action negated until that one lucky blow.The HERO system was better (although no more realistic), but the complexity of the system was a drag for our group.</blockquote>

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