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Message: <blockquote data-quote="mmadsen" data-source="post: 5601055" data-attributes="member: 1645">There are multiple subtle issues that intersect here.  First, hit points don't break suspension of disbelief too badly in the "sweet spot" around, say, fourth level, but they become jarring as hit dice increase -- unless all the low-damage enemies drift away to be replaced by higher-damage enemies, in which case we've got a bit of a Red Queen situation, where we're ramping up damage to match increasing hit points, which seems pointless.So we get into the canonical litany of complaints against hit points:  Wait, this guy can take nine sword strokes that get past his armor?  Well, they're just glancing blows, because he almost dodges them.  Really?  So he should feel better after a few days?  Um, no.  It'll take him months to heal.  So we need a cure light wounds spell to cure all those light wounds?  Um, no.  It'll take eight or nine cure light wounds spells to cure him.  Etc.That's why we've moved further and further away from hit points representing physical wounds in recent editions of the game.  But a slowly ablating counter needs to be replenished if not-really-hurt characters are going to seem not-really-hurt for their next fight, whether that comes via magical healing or morale-boosting speeches.  A combat system where not-really-hurt characters simply weren't really hurt wouldn't rely on that.  (It might have other flaws, of course.)Anyway, this need for healing, in previous editions, combined with the oddball notion of a Cleric, which is not a classic archetype.  If Gygax hadn't created the armored, mace-wielding, quasi-Christian priest, the whole thing might have worked out better.  The wizard -- that is, the guy with a pointy hat, long beard, and staff -- could have applied healing magic, or the ranger or the elf could have applied healing herbs, or the warm-hearted girl in the party could have tended to the wounded with her magic healing elixir, or whatever.  It still would have made Conan or Robin Hood hard to play, but it wouldn't've shoved a strange archetype into the setting.I can't count how many characters had magical studded leather in our old games, so that they'd have a decent armor class but still look like Robin Hood or Captain Blood...I used to think it was the power-level that was a problem, but now I think it's more an issue of how that power manifests itself.  For instance, I wouldn't have any trouble with high-level characters wielding political power or leading armies.  I wouldn't mind the greatest samurai in the land being able to cut down merely great warriors with a single stroke, or the greatest elf archer routinely shooting enemies through their eye-slits.  I wouldn't mind the master of offencing and defencing being untouchable with blade.  So, it's not just their incredible competence that strains credibility.</blockquote>

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