I just realized hit points were actually damage reduction all along, just represented in a way that's more convenient for players to use.
Like I get they're an abstraction, but they're not even an *objective* abstraction. Depending on your level, 10 damage could be an instant KO, or it could barely draw blood. Higher-level characters don't get used to getting hurt more, they literally get hurt less by the same amount of damage. Otherwise they'd look like chunky pasta sauce by the time they get to triple-digit damage and still not die, which I've never seen depicted in any serious game.
The gory descriptions of wounds correspond to fractions of your maximum HP, hence 4E's bloodied status. Gygax and Arneson could've designed a game where HP barely increase with level, maybe two or three times your starting amount at most, and given everyone fractional damage reduction... but no one wants to use a calculator after every hit.
For example, if the normal number of HP for a person with your PC's stats but no experience was 13, and your PC had 6 levels in a class that grants the equivalent of 4 HP/level, then you would take 13/37 of all damage, which is not *terribly* hard but an extra step that can and should be avoided.
>>43564656
Took you long enough?
>>43564656
Yep, that's pretty much how it goes, and it's why simple HP systems are so popular.
>>43564656
>ITT: We try to make HP systems sound smart.
You can tell yourself that until it actually starts making sense to you, and it will still all come crashing down as soon as you run into fall damage or poison or any number of things that don't fit your HP apologist drivel.
The only relevant observation you can make on HP systems is generally:
>Well, yes it's retarded, but it bugs me less than having to think more would.
>>43569006
>How to not even read the OP
Good job anon, you proved yourself even more retarded than OP.
Turns out that OP addressed your points.. in the OP. Too long to read, or are you too stupid to read?
>>43569006
This has to be bait. In any case...
You're an idiot. I don't understand how in the world you got that poison or fall damage should somehow be any different than, say, a spear to the gut when we're talking about High Level vs Low Level.
Damage reduction reduces damage. Damage from ALL sources in this case. Not some random shit from a special armour that doesn't affect how poison works, it's just meaning that you're just generally reducing damage across the board.
Hence why we have damage reduction AND hp in many games, because the Damage Reduction as listed from, say, a mythical shield only covers combat stuff, not poison. HP increases cover that already.
At least show some sense in your post
>>43569241
But HP doesn't protect against poison.
>>43564656
I always preferred the stun/ death saves and the "hit locations" of R. Talsorian's Cyberpunk over the hit point system of D&D.
>take more than 8 points of damage to a limb? limb lost.
>take too much damage? you go into shock
>go even further? you're dying/ dead
Pretty grim, but easier to comprehend than
>fifteen orcs are hitting you with swords and spears
>hurrr durr I take it
>they brought out a battering ram and are slamming it into you
>hurrr durr I take it
>their wizard hits you with a fireball
>hurrr durr I take it
>a goblin stabs you repeatedly
>hurrr durr I take it
>the wizard surrounds you in a field of fire and hits you with lightning bolts
>hurrr durr I take it
>you've gone negative HP
>guess I'm unconscious, lol
>>43571614
Anon is referring to HP as a blanket damage resistance to all forms of damage regardless of source.
>>43571719
Hit Points represent the character's physical endurance, skill, luck and resolve all the factors that combine to help him stay alive in a combat situation.
If you are getting hit by a battering ram and only take HP damage your DM is a retard and shouldn't be a DM.
HP is more like plot armor for a character. As an example, take Gimli/Aragon/Legolas in LOTR. They are "high" level characters that have a lot of HP. During each fight they loose HP, but the dont take any "damage" bacase the HP is ment to stimulate how much endurance, luck skills ect they have to avoid permanent damage / wounds. If it makes any sense.
>playing as a sorceror, have 80 hit point
>make a gambit with Blink that doesn't pay off
>get hit by an attack
>12 damage
>creature impales me through the knee
I think DM just going for shock value there, because having the kneecap done in is a career ender. But really. C'mon.
>>43571719
>hurrr durr I take it
You're not necessarily taking it.
HP is also a measure of how lucky or fresh you are - the Orc's arrow might have been dead on but if you're not exhausted you can still dodge out of the way at the last moment, or make it so it only catches you in your armour (still hurts and it slows you down)
>>43571614
Yes, and? HP is one of several types of damage resistance/avoidance in D&D. The other editions have various secondary damage resistances (Armour Class, saving throws, statistic checks, etc.) that operate on different scales. This gives granularity in differentiating classes. You might have a class that has superb survivability all round, with great AC, saves, and HP (early edition fighters), or you could make different tradeoffs.
