Schrodinger's HP and Combat

[cavalier973]

The character loses HPs because he was wounded by a sword, and then regained some Hps because his friend gave him some encouraging words, or he had some adrenaline or morale burst, or whatever effect that increases his ability to keep up on his feet fighting.

Sort of like how Inigo Montoya gets stabbed several time by Count Rugen, and almost loses, but pushes through the pain to fight back and win. (In the book, Inigo goes over in his mind the lessons from his teacher, and it helps him to quickly build the resolve to stand up and fight back).

 

[goatunit]

Hit Points are a currency with which you pay the reaper to avoid killing blows. At the end of a fight you are bruised, nicked, scraped, sweating, exhausted, and half-dead... but nobody caught you in the stomach with an axe. Nobody beaned your head with an arrow or flayed your skin with a spell. That is, unless you hit the big 0 and went into dying territory.

Whatever form healing takes, it puts you back in fighting shape.