How do you describe hp loss?

[GlassJaw]

I'm surprised how many people equate hit points with physical injury. I'm the complete opposite.

Hit points are too abstract to correlate directly to type of injury. This is compounded by the fact that the core d20/D&D system does not account for hp loss until you reach 0.

Also, if I dare take into account *gasp* real medieval combat, combat usually ended with someone taking a single critical wound, or at least a wound that would significantly hinder their ability to defend themselves.

Therefore, I look at hit points as battle fatigue, skill and ability to avoid injury, minor injuries (bruises, scratches, etc), and plain old luck. Characters with a lot of hit points can fighter longer before take a life-threatening injury.

 

[GlassJaw]

In my PbP I use a translation from hit points to wound levels...

91%+ --- scratched
76%-90% --- lightly wounded
51%-75% --- moderately wounded
26%-50% --- severely wounded (also adds fatigue condition)
01%-25% --- critically wounded (also adds exhausted condition)
zero --- disabled (also adds exhausted condition)
negative --- dying

Then I can describe hits using this as a guideline, depending on how much damage they deal (relative to the total hp of the victim) and in what condition it leaves the victim of the attack afterwards.

But I see hit point damage as actual wounds.

This is decent but I see two major problems with this system:

1. Creates a TON of more book-keeping, especially for the DM.

2. Penalizes the players a lot more than it does their enemies. As the DMG says, a variant rule such as this will penalize the players more because of the frequency in which they enter combat. You'll probably end up with more dead characters because once they get to lower hit points, they will have less ability to defend themselves.

Generally, I like some kind of wound level/system but I don't think it works well with standard hit points. I created a wound level system based on the VP/WP system. You can check it out in my variant ruleset in my sig.

 

[Thanee]

Therefore, I look at hit points as battle fatigue, skill and ability to avoid injury, minor injuries (bruises, scratches, etc), and plain old luck.

Officially, it's a bit of both...

What Hit Points Represent: Hit points mean two things in the game world: the ability to take physical punishment and keep going, and the ability to turn a serious blow into a less serious one.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Thanee]

1. Creates a TON of more book-keeping, especially for the DM.

You have to keep in mind, that it is mostly for PbP, as said above. The 'extra' book-keeping is really minimal.

2. Penalizes the players a lot more than it does their enemies. You'll probably end up with more dead characters because once they get to lower hit points, they will have less ability to defend themselves.

That's not really a problem so far (and I doubt it will be). You can check out a few combats under the links above.

It encourages players to be careful, and to use healing in combat, instead of just 'duking it out' and hoping to remain at 1+. I think this is a good thing. As I said initially, it helps the characters to become 'alive'.

But of course, different people have different opinions on how they like stuff like this.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Slife]

That's only if damage is used in an absolute fashion, not relative to the hit point total.

A 20 damage hit just means different things, depending on who you hit, the 1st-level wizard or the 20th-level fighter.

Bye
Thanee

The main reason I don't like that system is it means the 20th level fighter's "scratch" takes a cure moderate wounds spell to heal, while the first level wizard's "scratch" takes only a cure minor wounds.

 

[Yair]

The main reason I don't like that system is it means the 20th level fighter's "scratch" takes a cure moderate wounds spell to heal, while the first level wizard's "scratch" takes only a cure minor wounds.

The 20th level's scratch is metaphyiscally deeper.

 

[Thanee]

But that's a problem with the healing spells not scaling enough, I'd say. Regardless of how you call it, that problem will remain.

Bye
Thanee

 

[megamania]

Against the players I keep it simple and describe the damage to their equipment as much as themselves.

Against their foes-

AS
GRAPHICALLY
AS
POSSIBLE

I have sick sick sick players.