I know that RPGs are very hard to balance between realism and playability, but I have a suggestion on a way to handle hit points and realism...
Since this is not a level based game, what will determine when you increase your hit points?
Why not just say, hit points never go up at all? Or maybe not much and not often?
Now before everyone freaks, think of it this way. When you are a \'level 1\' character 1 or 2 hits with a sword will kill you. Makes sense. How many times would a grown man have to hit you with a sharp sword before you stop wiggling? So why is it that at \'level 20\' it takes 20 hits with the same sword? Did the 19 levels make your skin harder or your vital organs more remote?
The trick to making this work is to include skills such as dodge, parry, shield use, spells for casters and whatever brighter minds then mine can come up with. As you gain levels, if you spend the points in defensive skills, abilities, and spells you are hit less or take glancing blows more often then full on hits.
One way that might make this do-able would be to have different levels of \'hitting\' someone. A glancing blow, a normal blow, or a critical blow. Your level in certain skills make the margins in one or more \'hit\' categories narrower or wider while your level in other skills reduces your chance of being hit at all.
This would also allow, at the least, remote chances that a low \'level\' character could actually do real damage to a higher \'level\' character.
I dont know. Is all very complicated but I think something like this could work.
What do you think?
Sylk
Also, this would of course all have to take into consideration equipment as well. This could add a lot to player crafted items. If your armour stops blows, it degrades faster. Player crafted stuff could last longer and be made to resist damage better.
