Veteran Storyteller Thoughts: Is Old World of Darkness Combat the Deadliest RPG System?

I've been a Storyteller in the World of Darkness for over 25 years. In my games, I've often avoided combat, focusing more on narrative and intrigue. That said, combat does occasionally happen, and every time it does, it feels like a deadly affair—more so than in other RPGs I’ve run, like Dungeons & Dragons, RuneQuest, and Dragon Age.

In my experience, combat in oWoD feels particularly lethal because:

The Storyteller System doesn’t shy away from making death or severe consequences a real threat, even for supernatural creatures.

The mechanics can result in catastrophic outcomes, especially when characters fail to soak damage.

Players sometimes struggle with the clunky flow of combat, which can feel chaotic in high-stakes moments.

Compared to D&D (where hit points give a buffer), RuneQuest (which can be brutal but has its own dynamics), and other games, I find that oWoD's combat makes players fear for their characters' lives in ways that are unique and intense. It really amps up the tension but can also slow things down or derail a narrative if not handled carefully.

What are your thoughts? Do you agree that oWoD combat is among the deadliest, or have you experienced other systems that surpass it? And how do you manage combat in your games to balance the deadliness with narrative flow?

Looking forward to hearing your insights!