For the historical record, the early RAW seems against damage being stabs through the rib-cage, but also to say that each hit does at least a small amount of physical damage:
I have my doubts about whether its worth the complexity though. Keeping with D&D's simple combat mechanisms, and with the spirit of inter-editional inclusiveness the new edition is aiming for, its probably easiest to just have the usual hit points and allow for both types of healing with the morale type not working for the unconscious or dying. (Even if it does mean some actual physical wounds are being sealed by being talked at.)
As an aside, the section on healing in the 1e DMG didn't seem very illuminating (magic or time), but I had either completely forgotten or never seen this from a few paragraphs later:
It is quite unreasonable to assume that as a character gains levels of ability in his or her class that a corresponding gain in actual ability to sustain physical damage takes place. It is preposterous to state such an assumption, for if we are to assume that a man is killed by a sword thrust which does 4 points of damage, we must similarly assume that a hero could, on average withstand five such thrusts before being slain! Why then the increase in hit points? Because these reflect both the actual physical ability of the character to withstand damage -- as indicated by constitution bonuses -- and a commensurate increase in such areas as skill in combat and similar life-or-death situations, the "sixth sense" which warns the individual of some otherwise unforeseen events, sheer luck, and the fantastic provisions of magical protections and/or divine protection.
Harkening back to the example of Rasputin, it would be safe to assume that he could withstand physical damage sufficient to have killed any four normal men, i.e. more than 14 hit points. Therefore, let us assume that a character with an 18 constitution will be able to withstand no less than 15 hit points of actual physical damage before being slain, and that perhaps as many as 23 hit points could constitute the physical makeup of a character. The balance of accrued hit points are those which fall into the non-physical areas already detailed. Futhermore, these actual physical hit points would be spread across a large number of levels, starting from a base score of from an average of 3 to 4, going up to to 8 at 2nd level, 9 to 11 at 3rd, 12 to 14 at 4th, 15 to 17 at 5th, 18 to 20 at 6th, and 21 to 23 at 7th level. Note that the above assumes the character is a fighter with an average of 3 hit points per die going to physical ability to withstand punishment and only 1 point of constitution bonus being likewise assigned. Beyond the basic physical damage sustained, hits scored upon a character do not actually do such an amount of physical damage.
Consider a character who is a 10th level fighter with an 18 constitution. This character would have an average of 5 1/2 hit points per die, plus a constitution bonus of 4 hit points, per level, or 95 hit points! Each hit scored upon the character does only a small amount of actual physical harm -- the sword thrust that would have run a 1st level fighter through the heart merely grazes the character due to the fighter's exceptional skill, luck, and sixth sense ability which caused movement to avoid the attack at just the right moment. However, having sustained 40 or 50 hit points of damage, or lordly fighter will be covered with a number of nicks, scratches, cuts and bruises. It will require a long period of rest and recuperation to regain the physical and metaphysical peak of 95 hit points.
- Hit Points, page 82 in G.Gygax's DMG
Slightly modifying @Pour 's original post and @DarwinofMind 's followup: One solution would be to have two hit point pools - one of them being the physical total and the other being the symbolic skill/luck/combat spirit. You could then assign damage using some rule like: hit point damage is generally applied first to the symbolic pool, but every hit that does over your level in damage (and every critical) causes at least one point of physical damage. Time, magic, and morale healing would work on the symbolic damage, while only time and magic would work on the physical. Harkening back to the example of Rasputin, it would be safe to assume that he could withstand physical damage sufficient to have killed any four normal men, i.e. more than 14 hit points. Therefore, let us assume that a character with an 18 constitution will be able to withstand no less than 15 hit points of actual physical damage before being slain, and that perhaps as many as 23 hit points could constitute the physical makeup of a character. The balance of accrued hit points are those which fall into the non-physical areas already detailed. Futhermore, these actual physical hit points would be spread across a large number of levels, starting from a base score of from an average of 3 to 4, going up to to 8 at 2nd level, 9 to 11 at 3rd, 12 to 14 at 4th, 15 to 17 at 5th, 18 to 20 at 6th, and 21 to 23 at 7th level. Note that the above assumes the character is a fighter with an average of 3 hit points per die going to physical ability to withstand punishment and only 1 point of constitution bonus being likewise assigned. Beyond the basic physical damage sustained, hits scored upon a character do not actually do such an amount of physical damage.
Consider a character who is a 10th level fighter with an 18 constitution. This character would have an average of 5 1/2 hit points per die, plus a constitution bonus of 4 hit points, per level, or 95 hit points! Each hit scored upon the character does only a small amount of actual physical harm -- the sword thrust that would have run a 1st level fighter through the heart merely grazes the character due to the fighter's exceptional skill, luck, and sixth sense ability which caused movement to avoid the attack at just the right moment. However, having sustained 40 or 50 hit points of damage, or lordly fighter will be covered with a number of nicks, scratches, cuts and bruises. It will require a long period of rest and recuperation to regain the physical and metaphysical peak of 95 hit points.
- Hit Points, page 82 in G.Gygax's DMG
I have my doubts about whether its worth the complexity though. Keeping with D&D's simple combat mechanisms, and with the spirit of inter-editional inclusiveness the new edition is aiming for, its probably easiest to just have the usual hit points and allow for both types of healing with the morale type not working for the unconscious or dying. (Even if it does mean some actual physical wounds are being sealed by being talked at.)
As an aside, the section on healing in the 1e DMG didn't seem very illuminating (magic or time), but I had either completely forgotten or never seen this from a few paragraphs later:
If any creature reaches a state of -6 or greater negative points before being revived, this could indicate scarring or the loss of some member, if you so choose.
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