[RPG] What do temporary hitpoints represent, and how to roleplay them

dnd-4etemporary-hit-points

I know what temporary HP do: they provide a buffer, while leaving the original state of the character intact (if you receive temp HP while bloodied, you don't stop being bloodied, for example).

What I want to know is what do they represent, and if there's a general way of roleplaying them. The question arose because normal HP already represent more than just health (-2 hp doesn't imply a wound, say), and so Temp HP seem a bit redundant on the RP side of the equation.

I can understand particular cases: "A sudden favor from Moradin leaves you feeling better than you can remember, prime for battle" == +6 temp HP over your top HP, but the general case, if any, eludes me. I'd also like to know the rationalization for adding them into the game, but that's a bonus.

Best Answer

While I wholeheartedly agree with @wax eagle's answer from a personal standpoint, I don't see that sort of description used in the rules anywhere. The compendium describes Temporary Hit Points for 4e in the following way:

Temporary Hit Points

[...] Small reservoirs of stamina that insulate you from losing actual hit points.

It is therefore helpful to reacquaint ourselves with the 4e definition of hit points.

Hit Points

Over the course of a battle, you take damage from attacks. Hit points (hp) measure your ability to stand up to punishment, turn deadly strikes into glancing blows, and stay on your feet throughout a battle. Hit points represent more than physical endurance. They represent your character’s skill, luck, and resolve—all the factors that combine to help you stay alive in a combat situation.

So in essence, temporary hit points are that surge of adrenaline or burst of strength that allow you to shrug off attacks that would normally weaken you. This makes sense when you take into account the numerous sources of THP - anything from divine power1 to infernal energy2 to friendly encouragement3 to sheer martial agression4.

  1. "(Deity)'s grace compels you to stand firm with a sudden burst of stamina."
  2. "You absorb the pain of a nearby ally, granting you the resolve to shrug off the next attack that hits you."
  3. "Bob's battlecry inspires you to hold your ground with renewed vigor."
  4. "As your enemy hits you, you welcome the pain and sweep in to deliver a vengeful counterattack. Your strike fills your veins with a surge of adrenaline."
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