This doesn't work, however, since it still enables big strong characters to prey on weak ones with proportionately much less damage to themselves. Besides, healing is so easy in most RPGs that they could easily heal themselves back up. But not the God of the Israelites. I think what's needed here is the approach of the medieval Catholic Church. But before we get to that, let's talk about balance.
All games depend on balance.
If a game is perfectly balanced, no one can ever win it. If it's very finely balanced, it can go on for a long time. This is what happens in the kids' card game War. Whoever has the highest takes both cards. The game is over when one side has all the cards.