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Optional Rule Systems / Wounds and Vigor

Other Considerations

Source Ultimate Combat pg. 207
The following are a few other considerations to take into account when using the wounds and vigor system.

Temporary Hit Points: When a creature would normally gain temporary hit points, it gains temporary vigor points instead. When that creature takes damage, it loses these temporary vigor points first. If an attack deals damage to wound points only, these temporary vigor points are not lost.

Nonlethal Damage: When a creature takes nonlethal damage, it takes that damage in vigor points only, even if the attack deals more damage than the creature has vigor points. If the creature has no vigor points (and no temporary vigor points), each time that creature takes damage from an attack that deals nonlethal damage, it takes either 1 wound point of damage, or a number of wound points in damage equal to the attack’s critical hit modifier if the attack is a critical hit.

Spells or Effects with Hit Point Triggers: When using this system, if a spell or an ability has an effect that occurs when you reduce a creature to 0 or fewer hit points (such as the disintegrate spell), that effect is instead triggered when a creature is wounded. In the case of the harm spell or a similar effect where a creature cannot be reduced below 1 hit point by the spell or effect, a creature’s wound points cannot be reduced to or below that creature’s wound threshold.