If you REALLY want to get your players attention, get rid of the D&D hit point system as they're written and do this instead: Each character has three base hit points, which is considered them being in a stable condition. Non-lethal (but still noticeable) attacks impose some sort of temporary condition but no hit point damage, but dangerous, lethal attacks actually cause hit point damage, along with a condition that matches the type of injury they receive. After taking the player's protective gear into account, if the attack the PC took would still be considered dangerous and potentially lethal, they suffer at least one hit point of damage, if not more. To determine how much hit point damage an attack would deal to a player, put on your dramatic movie director hat on and ask yourself (as the DM): how many of these attacks could kill a main cast member of this movie? If it would take three of these attacks (like the arrows that killed Boromir in Fellowship), then said attack would deal 1 hp of damage. If it would take two of those attacks (typically a sword slash), then it would deal 2 hp of damage. If it would one-shot someone (like a sword plunged through the gut and sticking out of the exit wound), then it would deal 3hp of damage. Anything that would turn someone into a pile of gore or more would deal 4+ hp of damage. At zero hit points, the PC is taken out. What happens afterwards is up to the GM. Now I mentioned "base hit points," because it would be possible for PCs to go beyond that total. Anything that would sufficiently motivate or invigorate a character to fight on more than they normally would will add 1 temporary bonus hp to said character. Anything that would tremendously empower the character's will to persevere would add 2 temporary bonus hp to said character (only use the higher temporary bonus hp). To further accentuate the invigorating properties of this bonus hp, through in a +d4 or +d6 to d20 rolls that would correlate with the boost. As for monsters and NPCs, you can choose to either use the same system or simply get rid of their hit points and make damage purely descriptive. When they've taken a dramatically appropriate amount of damage, they die or are taken out of the fight. Gauge the amount of damage the players deal in the same way you do for NPCs and monsters. Dispense with damage dice and immerse yourself (and your players) into the dramatic and cinematic nature of it all. Last but not least, nerf the hell out of healing magic and make it so that it just shortens natural recovery for 1 hp of damage (not all hp loss).
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If you REALLY want to get your players attention, get rid of the D&D hit point system as they're written and do this instead:
Each character has three base hit points, which is considered them being in a stable condition. Non-lethal (but still noticeable) attacks impose some sort of temporary condition but no hit point damage, but dangerous, lethal attacks actually cause hit point damage, along with a condition that matches the type of injury they receive.
After taking the player's protective gear into account, if the attack the PC took would still be considered dangerous and potentially lethal, they suffer at least one hit point of damage, if not more. To determine how much hit point damage an attack would deal to a player, put on your dramatic movie director hat on and ask yourself (as the DM): how many of these attacks could kill a main cast member of this movie? If it would take three of these attacks (like the arrows that killed Boromir in Fellowship), then said attack would deal 1 hp of damage. If it would take two of those attacks (typically a sword slash), then it would deal 2 hp of damage. If it would one-shot someone (like a sword plunged through the gut and sticking out of the exit wound), then it would deal 3hp of damage. Anything that would turn someone into a pile of gore or more would deal 4+ hp of damage.
At zero hit points, the PC is taken out. What happens afterwards is up to the GM.
Now I mentioned "base hit points," because it would be possible for PCs to go beyond that total. Anything that would sufficiently motivate or invigorate a character to fight on more than they normally would will add 1 temporary bonus hp to said character. Anything that would tremendously empower the character's will to persevere would add 2 temporary bonus hp to said character (only use the higher temporary bonus hp). To further accentuate the invigorating properties of this bonus hp, through in a +d4 or +d6 to d20 rolls that would correlate with the boost.
As for monsters and NPCs, you can choose to either use the same system or simply get rid of their hit points and make damage purely descriptive. When they've taken a dramatically appropriate amount of damage, they die or are taken out of the fight. Gauge the amount of damage the players deal in the same way you do for NPCs and monsters. Dispense with damage dice and immerse yourself (and your players) into the dramatic and cinematic nature of it all. Last but not least, nerf the hell out of healing magic and make it so that it just shortens natural recovery for 1 hp of damage (not all hp loss).