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Message: <blockquote data-quote="pemerton" data-source="post: 5956528" data-attributes="member: 42582">I think so to, but I think that KM is missing some of the implications of going that way. For example, fate point loss can't be narrated as (say) a strained ankle or an arrow wound below the ribs. And all fate points will recover at a uniform (and rapid) rate.More generally, the whole notion of two pools, and of choosing which pool, or both, you are in, is trying to impose a process-simulation approach onto hp - which is already taking a side in the great hit point wars.That's why I think the starting point has to be traditional D&D - a single pool with a uniform recovery rate and two states - alive, conscious and unimpeded, or down and out. This permits maximum flexibility and maximum modularity, as I'll try to explain.It permits flexible narration. You can narrate "meat". I can narrate "meat" or "fate" as mood and situation dicatate. Some others might want to narrate fate only, at least until the last blow.On the assumption that the single pool includes CON as a kicker (the playtest has this, as does 4e) then this permits those who want to turn that into the kernel of a wound/vitality system to easily do so without mucking up any of the other numbers in the game.It also permits options as to what "down and out" means - those who want a B/X feel can narrate it as dead, those who want a 1st ed AD&D feel can narrate it as dying, and wounded even if you are stabilised, those who want a 2nd ed AD&D or 3E feel can narrate it as dying but easily healed, and those who want a 4e feel can adopt 4e's fortune-in-the-middle approach to narrating it. Again, all this can be modularised without mucking up any of the other numbers or assumptions of game play.It permits a range of options on recovery time, and varying with the default uniform recovery rate. Wound/vitality people will probably want to make the CON component of hp harder to recover. 4e people will probably want a rule that permits quick recovery, but also says that after you've performed a certain number of quick recoveries you have to go for a longer one (this is the short rest/extended rest dynamic).And it permits the introduction of a range of healing options. All healing effects can be statted up the same way - as restoration of points to the pool. But depending on taste, and the other modules in play, you can say things like "inspriational healing not allowed", or "inspiration healing allowed only if not bloodied", or "inspirational healing won't restore lost wound points", or "cure spells used to restore wound points rather than hit points must be cast using the ritual mechanic". Again, because all the options interface around a single pool with a default uniform rate of recovery, they can be stated in relation to that without the core numbers having to be changed.Introdcing a fate/meat dial into the core definition of hit points is making one, contested conception of hit points - the process simulation one - part of the core. Whereas keeping a single pool with a uniform rate of recovery (but with that rate itself on a dial) allows the core definition of hit points to encompass the process simulation conception and the fortune-in-the-middle conception without trouble, and allows any of a range of options for departing from the uniform recovery rate to be implemented as options, and allows individual groups to choose how various sorts of healing (natural, inspirational, divine) interact with hit point loss and with those healing rates.KM said upthread that what I'm doing is just restating his proposal, but I hope I've succeeded in explaining why I'm not just doing that.</blockquote>

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