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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Banshee16" data-source="post: 3880820" data-attributes="member: 7883">The idea of hit points as skill should be fine.....but it needs to be tied to a mechanic where, in instances where skill can't contribute....like where you're not aware of a threat or something, hp don't matter.Like, let's look at the Red Wedding in GRR Martin's books.....or something similar.  Your lvl 15 fighter with 120 hp is sitting at dinner with his lord.  He's not in his armour, as it's considered uncouth to be wearing armour, and carrying weapons at court.  An assassin dressed as a page is distributing food.  The PC is in the middle of talking to someone across the table, and the page is putting some buns down on the table in front of him, then suddenly lunges with the dagger he had under his silver platter, and cuts the PC's throat.Well, he's a lvl 1 expert or commoner or something.  Against a flat footed opponent, who is not wearing armour, he's actually got a decent chance of hitting.  50%?  55%?  What damage will he do?  1d4, which is definitely not a threat to that fighter....even though the fighter wasn't in a combat situation, didn't realize there was danger, was unarmed, had no magic, etc.If they allowed us to apply the Coup de Grace rules to situations where characters were not defending themselves, then that would at least help somewhat.  But Coup de Grace only applies if the character is helpless.  Not just undefended.I've always thought of a variant rule saying something like....if you're sleeping, or unable or unwilling to defend yourself, your HP score is actually just your CON.  Go to 0, and you're down.  Something like that.  It wouldn't count in a situation like in a dungeon, when the PC is armed and armoured, walking around, expecting danger.  Even if he's sneak attacked by a rogue, he knows that he's in a dangerous situation, so his HP count.  But when he's sitting at dinner, with a bun in one hand, and a flagon of wine in the other?  He really shouldn't be able to get hit a whole bunch of times and just laugh about it.Banshee</blockquote>

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