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<blockquote data-quote="Campbell" data-source="post: 5953223" data-attributes="member: 16586">A core issue with D&amp;D's combat system is that misses are not mechanically interesting. This is because D&amp;D assumes passive defense so a character gives nothing up to avoid attacks. The benefit of this is that combat is quicker to resolve because individual attacks take far less time to resolve. The problem with it becomes that more attacks succeed than reasonably would which leads to hp occupying such a large conceptual space. It doesn't help that the game uses process simulation rules for the recovery of what is largely a meta resource. Other games separate out their process simulation from their meta resources.&nbsp; Of course that brings issues of its own. Namely it slams the meta element directly in the players' faces. For some this is preferable, but it can distract some who prefer one to one correspondence between player and character decisions. Personally I find that correspondence in D&amp;D pretty weak largely due to the nature of hit points partially representing character skill, fatigue, and luck. Player decisions based on how many hit points they have left seem a little nonsensical to me. &quot;I can see my skill/luck is low. I need to sleep for a couple days or have this priest traveling with me restore my skill in battle.&quot;To each their own though.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Campbell, post: 5953223, member: 16586"] A core issue with D&D's combat system is that misses are not mechanically interesting. This is because D&D assumes passive defense so a character gives nothing up to avoid attacks. The benefit of this is that combat is quicker to resolve because individual attacks take far less time to resolve. The problem with it becomes that more attacks succeed than reasonably would which leads to hp occupying such a large conceptual space. It doesn't help that the game uses process simulation rules for the recovery of what is largely a meta resource. Other games separate out their process simulation from their meta resources. Of course that brings issues of its own. Namely it slams the meta element directly in the players' faces. For some this is preferable, but it can distract some who prefer one to one correspondence between player and character decisions. Personally I find that correspondence in D&D pretty weak largely due to the nature of hit points partially representing character skill, fatigue, and luck. Player decisions based on how many hit points they have left seem a little nonsensical to me. "I can see my skill/luck is low. I need to sleep for a couple days or have this priest traveling with me restore my skill in battle." To each their own though. [/QUOTE]

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