The image of an Ogre shrugging off volleys of arrows, and requiring the attention multiple opponents to take them down is pretty iconic. As is the image of Elves adopting a mobile, agility & range based combat style to compensate for their races physical frailty. Dwarves being sturdy, hardy, short tanks, who take a lot of punishment but keep fighting. Goblins as frail, sneaky little creatures who take opponents down via swarm, and stealth tactics because individually they are weak and breakable.
In level based systems like Pathfinder, or Palladium character's ability to withstand damage is altered based on their <arbitrary IG group name>
In point buy systems like White Wolf, or 7th Sea, there are abilities which effect a character's ability to withstand physical punishment whose purchase cost varies based on the individuals <arbitrary IG group name>.
In Alliance I'd say it absolutely makes sense for biologically different races whose evolution has been subject to different pressures to have genuine physical differences i.e. Frail/Hearty. As far as game balance goes I think PCs being required to trade off purchasing increased body v. purchasing other skills is solid. Everyone starts at the same point, then allows a differentiation based on PC choice via point expenditure, with certain races being biologically predisposed to one or the other strategy. It also allows PCs a greater variety of idiosyncratic builds, which I am always in favor of.
TLDR I'd say the current Frail v. Hearty is a solid representation of what has become an accepted narrative in the Fantasy genre, and others, and enhances the realism of the game. I'd be fine with a math based cost re-balance, but not the elimination of Frail/Hardy.
In level based systems like Pathfinder, or Palladium character's ability to withstand damage is altered based on their <arbitrary IG group name>
In point buy systems like White Wolf, or 7th Sea, there are abilities which effect a character's ability to withstand physical punishment whose purchase cost varies based on the individuals <arbitrary IG group name>.
In Alliance I'd say it absolutely makes sense for biologically different races whose evolution has been subject to different pressures to have genuine physical differences i.e. Frail/Hearty. As far as game balance goes I think PCs being required to trade off purchasing increased body v. purchasing other skills is solid. Everyone starts at the same point, then allows a differentiation based on PC choice via point expenditure, with certain races being biologically predisposed to one or the other strategy. It also allows PCs a greater variety of idiosyncratic builds, which I am always in favor of.
TLDR I'd say the current Frail v. Hearty is a solid representation of what has become an accepted narrative in the Fantasy genre, and others, and enhances the realism of the game. I'd be fine with a math based cost re-balance, but not the elimination of Frail/Hardy.