Is the Hit Point meter an IC or OOC device?

[Steve]

There was a discussion on this issue some time ago, and I cannot seem to find it. Furthermore, whether it was ever OFFICIALLY resolved, is in question.

So again, the question: is the Health Meter / HP meter (the red scale next to a Character's Avatar icon) an IC or OOC device?

Can another Player right-click highlight your Toon, and see where that meter level is, then IC RP have their Character notice/comment on the "health" of your Character? Is this metagaming?

I approach the issue this way: at just 1 Hit Point, your Character can still fully fight and run and do all the possibilities available to its Build, EXCEPT of course if there is an Effect going on. Since at 1 HP a PC is still fully able, it would seem that the Health Meter is not a direct "you've lost this much blood and your flesh is ripped open" meter, but essentially and endurance meter, and when you've hit 0, you can no longer go on (taken a mortal wound) and fall to unconsciousness, and when you hit -10 HP, your PC is dead (and obviously so...because you literally lose mechanical control over what happens next...I.e, the Fugue).

Thus, in this initial moment, I'm thinking that the Health Meter should be treated OOC and not and IC RP device, BUT, if a Player wishes to themselves RP the current level of the Health Meter IC, they may do that.

And even so, a low Health Meter is more to the endurance left ability—hence why connected to Constitution—and not the "amount of blood you have left" ability.

What Hit Points Represent

Hit points mean two things in the game world: the ability to take physical punishment and keep going, and the ability to turn a serious blow into a less serious one.

http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Hit_Points

Essentially, I'm looking for an Official Ruling on this, because it DOES affect Role-play. DMs???

[TarnishedSoul]

A thing I learned a while ago is to ask the person OOC if there are any visible wounds / blood. Folks who wanted to RP the "badly injured" state would usually respond with what could be seen. Others would say "nah," rest up, and RP as if nothing was amiss.

Since healing / using kits involves IC touching and proximity, it's usually best to ask before making an assumption!

[Lyna]

Even if you are still fully functional with 1 HP. You still have a great many wounds and well that might be just a tad obvious.

[Steve]

Right...so who gets to decide where/how your Toon is bleeding/wounded? You or the other Player who forces you to recognize wounds by observing OOC this health meter, then RPing a comment?

The Game doesn't even allow for visuals related to lasting wounds!! How about that, the general principle that we Players are supposed to RP only that which our Characters perceive, not what the Player perceives/knows?!

[izzul]

how about the

barely injured
injured
badly wounded
and near death

is it OOC or IC?

[Steve]

Yeah, I totally forgot about those messages. Pretty weird to be "near death" but still able to shop at Mudd's Consignment!

[Glowfire]

Always up to the player of the character.

If any of my character's however see someone being hit by a heavy trap or get some bad blows, they might ask "Are you alright?" or the equivalent ("Still alive?").

[Archive]

If you didn't see the person getting hurt, it should be considered OOC until acknowledged by the player. Otherwise, what are you going to say? Assume it's a bleeding wound when they were burned with fire? What if they haven't gotten hurt at all, but just equipped a +HP item after their last rest?

[Hoihe]

It also doesn't help there are conflicting interpretations on what hit points even represent.

I for one follow the interpretation of "turning fatal blows into glancing blows", at cost of becoming fatigued and having a higher chance of making a mistake that will spell your doom. I myself intend to RP my character's fighting style to be a variant of this, with Expose Weakness et all (intentionally make safe hits on the enemy with slashes, then go in for a thrust when landing the killing blow.)

This is of course somewhat challenged by the existence of crippling strike, Expose Weakness Bleed Damage, Invisible Blade bleed damage but they are the exception, not the norm. Even there you could argue you exposed a non-vital muscle/blood vessel until you're between 0-10.

But it, on the other hand, supported by the fact that all classes, when levelling up, in P&P roll for HP, in NWN2 get flat hit point increase. This represents experience rather than the sheer "bulk" that high constitution and the toughness feat provides.

As such, it's probably best to do as others suggested: ask before acting.

[metaquad4]

I usually go by what the game tells me. Are they barely injured? Then "tis but a scratch"! Are they near death? Probably really badly wounded.

HP is part of the "play your character sheet" rule too. I suppose if someone doesn't want to RP their current HP, they are in violation of that rule, no?

[Xanfyrst]

You can look at it as how much in control they are in a fight instead of how wounded, which they may be or not.

[Hoihe]

You can look at it as how much in control they are in a fight instead of how wounded, which they may be or not.

Another game had a neat take on the HP question. You've got two health bars, essentially.

One is life/hitpoints, one is health. Life/hitpoints represent your ability to avoid injury, and getting hit with high HP doesn't impact your health, getting hit with 1/5 HP causes direct damage to your health, and losing all HP to a swing also causes all your health to drop as well, killing you.

HP is restored with booze, potions and low quality rest (basically, regaining your focus). Health is restored by high quality rest and visiting temples, brothels (recovering from stress and wounds).

[Sapper Woody]

I know that NWN2 goes by 3.5 rules, but I like the ruling in 4.0 (as much as I hate the rest of 4th Ed!!) about being "bloodied". If your character is at half HP or more, they are considered "bloodied".

With that being said, it obviously doesn't affect our character's ability to fight, etc. So I would consider it to have opened up a wound, but one that we are capable of fighting through. When we are hit in combat, I think of that as actually a hit that hurts. Otherwise, spellcasters wouldn't have to make a concentration check.

So, getting enough hits that hurt would definitely leave a bruise or cut that is visible to everyone else. The issue then becomes how do people who only see the HP bar RP this? I typically am non-specific about injury when asking about someone. "Are you alright?" or "You seem hurt.". That kind of thing.

[Maecius]

Back when I played actively, I'd usually just shoot the player in question a tell. "Is your guy visibly injured?" If yes, react appropriately. If no, ignore the fact that they haven't hit the R key yet.

A little bit of courtesy and communication goes a long way in establishing a collaboratively storyline, even with some "random character" you haven't met before. Could be your character's next best friend, after all! Especially if they do say they're injured and you patch 'em up or toss a potion their way!

[Steve]

Back when I played actively, I'd usually just shoot the player in question a tell. "Is your guy visibly injured?" If yes, react appropriately. If no, ignore the fact that they haven't hit the R key yet.

Yes, emoting "Are you injured?" to another Player, that being IC, is FAR more open to RP interests, than emoting "Yikes! Your arm is nearly fallen off! The blood...THE BLOOD!!!"

Of course, going OOC is fine, if necessary. Maybe it is more straightforward, but the gist is the same.