What are hit points to you?

[Kahuna Burger]

Well, since the defense bonus thread started ye olde HP argumente once again, now might be a good time to take a poll. Notice that it is not a vote, since truth and logic cannot be decided by majority. But it would be interesting to see where the silent majority lands on this.

Don't overthink this, btw. Just think about what (if anything) you envision when someone (of any level) takes 30 hp from a massive crit, or 2 from a badly rolled crossbow bolt. Do you think that they have "used up" some of their luck agilty etc, been tired out to make it harder for them to avoid the killing blow, or just taken some ouch?

Kahuna Burger

 

[hong]

Hit points are like pr0n. I don't know what they are, but I know it when I see it.

Oops, that's roleplaying. I always get those mixed up.

 

[DragonLancer]

For me its a combo of options B & C. Hit points represent health and are just a guide to help moderate the character primarily in combat.

I don't think you need to worry about what hit points are. They are just an aspect of the game mechanics.

 

[shilsen]

A mixture of all the above, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Thanee]

It is meant to be a mix of the first two (more of the first, though), but I voted the third, since it doesn't represent either very well.

Bye
Thanee

 

[dcollins]

No big mystery, it's defined in the rules as a combination of 1 & 2 (PHB ch. 8: "Injury and Death: Loss of Hit Points: What Hit Points Represent"). Same as in every D&D ruleset.

 

[ph34r]

I went with option #2.

 

[Wombat]

Hit Points are a game mechanic, the most glaringly obvious one in D&D. Everything else I can justify in some other manner, but Hit Points are merely a way of keeping score, nothing else. They fulfill no "real world" function as far as I am able to tell.

Hey, I've had that opinion for 20+ years, not likely to change now!

 

[doghead]

Game wise, I see them as the ability to soak damage. The ability to deflect and block damage is covered by the AC rules. Thats why I find the range of HP achievable somewhat problematic. A human can range from 1 to 100+. To some degree this has been addressed in by the massive damage rules, but it still sits awkwardly with me. I suppose thats why I prefere low level games. I suppose that thinking of them as just a game mechanic is the best solution.

 

[Psion]

I went with #4. #1 is close, but I add two important factors: virtual script immunity and sheer heroism.