D&D 4E What are HPs in 4E?
- Thread starter Korgoth
- Start date
Fallen Seraph
First Post
Well higher HP doesn't really account for much given that more damage is being delivered. I could say I personally have 10,000,000 but a bullet deals 10,000,500 damage. There is no real difference. Though it does mean, less instant-kills during low-levels.
As for what they mean, as well as what healing surges. Well your treading into shark infested waters there. Tons of varying opinions, and tons of people both pro and anti it.
My personal view is this:
HP = Your fighting capacity, and ability to be physically able to fight and survive a conflict. Thus why there is bloodied mechanics to show when ability to fight has grown limited and finally when you become incapacitated and when in this state of near death, the prospect of death is more real, because this final major incapacitation can potentially cause life-threatening injuries.
Healing Surges = Your actual health, this represents how well your body, mind and the level of physical capabilities you are able to endure and press onward with. The more healing surges you use, showcases you placing extra stress on your body to push on and work at fuller capacities, as well as make minor injuries patched up.
As you use up your Healing Surges it means it is harder too reach your full fighting potential because your injuries and sheer stress on your body has begun to build up. When all your Healing Surges are gone, this is when you have reached the end of the line and your body is suffering too much to continue working at full capacity.
As for what they mean, as well as what healing surges. Well your treading into shark infested waters there. Tons of varying opinions, and tons of people both pro and anti it.
My personal view is this:
HP = Your fighting capacity, and ability to be physically able to fight and survive a conflict. Thus why there is bloodied mechanics to show when ability to fight has grown limited and finally when you become incapacitated and when in this state of near death, the prospect of death is more real, because this final major incapacitation can potentially cause life-threatening injuries.
Healing Surges = Your actual health, this represents how well your body, mind and the level of physical capabilities you are able to endure and press onward with. The more healing surges you use, showcases you placing extra stress on your body to push on and work at fuller capacities, as well as make minor injuries patched up.
As you use up your Healing Surges it means it is harder too reach your full fighting potential because your injuries and sheer stress on your body has begun to build up. When all your Healing Surges are gone, this is when you have reached the end of the line and your body is suffering too much to continue working at full capacity.
WalterKovacs
First Post
I like to think of it as a boxing analogy.
Your Hit Points are sort of equivalent to "how much more can I take before I get Knocked out".
When you reach the bloodied condition, you are on the ropes, you are in bad shape, but you can still make a comeback.
A Second Wind, is just that, in the middle of a round, you are able to shake off a bit. You may have been knocked down for a moment, but come back out swinging. But, it's called a second wind for a reason, you can't really do it more than once in a short period of time.
Thankfully, the bell rings, and you get a short rest, where you are able to better recover from the beating you had been having. You can use healing surges between enounters, and regain your use of Second Wind in the next one. When another player activates your hearling surge with an ability, it's the corner man giving a pep talk, cleaning your wounds, and getting you back into the fight.
Ultimately, you eventually wear down, and you just run out of surges. At that point, you just slowly get beat down until the knock out blow, unless you get at the very least, a full night's sleep.
Your Hit Points are sort of equivalent to "how much more can I take before I get Knocked out".
When you reach the bloodied condition, you are on the ropes, you are in bad shape, but you can still make a comeback.
A Second Wind, is just that, in the middle of a round, you are able to shake off a bit. You may have been knocked down for a moment, but come back out swinging. But, it's called a second wind for a reason, you can't really do it more than once in a short period of time.
Thankfully, the bell rings, and you get a short rest, where you are able to better recover from the beating you had been having. You can use healing surges between enounters, and regain your use of Second Wind in the next one. When another player activates your hearling surge with an ability, it's the corner man giving a pep talk, cleaning your wounds, and getting you back into the fight.
Ultimately, you eventually wear down, and you just run out of surges. At that point, you just slowly get beat down until the knock out blow, unless you get at the very least, a full night's sleep.
WalterKovacs said:
I get all that. What I mean is, are hit points in 4E the ability to be stabbed in the face by a broadsword driven down to the hilt 45 times in a row, or are they the ability to only be slashed on the cheek as opposed to stabbed in the face, or are they the ability to parry the incoming blow and not actually be hit by it, or what?
Fallen Seraph
First Post
Korgoth said:
However you want to interpret it, if in your game your fine with guys having horrible injuries and fighting fine then broadswords being repeatedly stabbed into the character is fine.
If you like to see it in more realistic way, things like being bashed, bruised, cut up (but not horribly so), fatigued, bandaged up, etc. is the way to go.
As for official term, they haven't gone out of their way to say how one should interpret it.
DandD
First Post
They're (almost) everything you want it to be, because they're an abstract concept. It can be plot-protection, the ability to stab you into your face several times, or your amount of stamina when avoiding this potentially fatal blows that would have hit you, or just video-gamey zong-points.
Charwoman Gene
Adventurer
Korgoth said:
Seriously, hp are the same thing they ALWAYS been. A ridiculous and unrealistic hodgepodge of both.
FitzTheRuke
Legend
They are NOT the ablility to be stabbed to the hilt EVER, and never have been.
HP combines (IE it's ALL OF THESE)
Fatigue
Luck
The ability to handle shock without passing out or dying
The ability to "roll with a hit" to turn what would have been a lethal blow into a scratch
It's all general attrition and what they specifically represents is dependent on what caused the damage.
Fitz
HP combines (IE it's ALL OF THESE)
Fatigue
Luck
The ability to handle shock without passing out or dying
The ability to "roll with a hit" to turn what would have been a lethal blow into a scratch
It's all general attrition and what they specifically represents is dependent on what caused the damage.
Fitz
Charwoman Gene
Adventurer
FitzTheRuke said:
It is also of course the power to resist physical damage from falling 40 ft.
And to be burned.
Your list is part of the HP equation. the other is actual physical damage.
