What's your damage?

[Andor]

In D&D anything that can draw blood is considered to do damage. Even a house cat is considered to have a bite/claw/claw(claw/claw) attack routine. With every attack doing a minimum of one point of damage Garfield can shred the average mook in seconds. Even in 4th edition a horde of angry gerbils can strip an adventurer to the bone in seconds.

Where am I going with this?

Okay, Yesterday I had to deal with an enraged Kinkajou. (Don't laugh, it's in the raccoon family. They have teeth.) And in spite of sustaining several scratches and a few good bites including one where the tooth was actually hooked in my flesh and I had to pry her jaws apart so I could move up and off the tooth... I'm still not convinced I took an actual point of damage. I feel no closer to death. I don't feel less capable of dodging an incoming blow. I don't need a bards song to lift my spirits to get back on my feet. I would have taken out another animal it wasn't that I get yelled at for bleeding at the public.

So how much damage is a point of damage?

 

[Rechan]

So how much damage is a point of damage?

What's your level and plot relevance?

If you were a minion, you'd be dead.

 

[Andor]

What's your level and plot relevance?

If you were a minion, you'd be dead.

LOL. I take comfort in learning I'm apparently not a mook.

 

[catsclaw227]

I'd say you were an NPC. How much damage the kinkagejolojoo did to you is irrelevant to forwarding the story, so he dm fiat decided it did none. It will only matter when Hagar and Veronica decide to come steal your jewels or usurp your throne.

So you still might be a minion. Or you are a Solo leader.

Oh... That's not the question...

A point of damage is enough to put you one point closer to death.

 

[Oni]

Or perhaps it never actually hit you and did real damage, instead missing, bouncing off your natural AC leaving only cosmetic/superficial damage.

Or maybe D&D's Hitpoint/Damage system is completely nonsensical.

 

[the Jester]

Or maybe D&D's Hitpoint/Damage system is completely nonsensical.

What you say !!!

 

[RefinedBean]

I always think of 1 point of damage as those inconsequential blows in a battle that leave a mark but don't really hinder the injured party appreciably.

I'd say, OP, that you took at least one point of damage. Might as well go do an extended rest.

 

[Doug McCrae]

Hit points aren't real, like Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and male-friendly lesbians.

 

[Andor]

Hit points aren't real, like Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and male-friendly lesbians.

It's not that they aren't real. It's just that you're from Glasgow and they can't understand you. Also you're just not meeting the right tieflings.

 

[Krensky]

Okay, Yesterday I had to deal with an enraged Kinkajou. (Don't laugh, it's in the raccoon family. They have teeth.) And in spite of sustaining several scratches and a few good bites including one where the tooth was actually hooked in my flesh and I had to pry her jaws apart so I could move up and off the tooth... I'm still not convinced I took an actual point of damage. I feel no closer to death. I don't feel less capable of dodging an incoming blow. I don't need a bards song to lift my spirits to get back on my feet. I would have taken out another animal it wasn't that I get yelled at for bleeding at the public.

That makes perfect sense. HP loss doesn't affect your abilities until the hit that drops you to zero or below.