How do you like your HP to increase?

[pemerton]

I've noticed a few people rolling with a "safety net" of minimum half die size. Just for interest, here is the average of a die rolled in that way:

d4 (2.75)

d6 (4)

d8 (5.25)

d10 (6.5)

d12 (7.75)​

Especially for the larger dice, that's a noticeable boost!

 

[Orius]

Random rolls all the way. Your safety nets are your fellow PCs and your tactics.

 

[CroBob]

I've noticed a few people rolling with a "safety net" of minimum half die size. Just for interest, here is the average of a die rolled in that way:

d4 (2.75)

d6 (4)

d8 (5.25)

d10 (6.5)

d12 (7.75)

Especially for the larger dice, that's a noticeable boost!​

I see no problem with that. With the d12, it's a difference of 25 HPs at level 20. The average may go up, but that range is within the normal expectations anyway. If, for some reason, this Barbarian didn't have a Con modifier, for whatever reason, he has 145 HP instead of 125. Further, it's not like melee classes aren't already behind the power curve anyway, so this helps mitigate that. Frankly, I don't consider it relevant. I prefer a slightly higher average to someone rolling so low that they can hardly even do their job without fear of getting one-shotted all the time.​

 

[Chris_Nightwing]

I prefer linear progression. Keep things simple.

Also: I HATE D3'S!!!!! If it doesn't come in your average little box of seven dice you can pick up for 5 bucks at a gaming store, it shouldn't be used in core D&D. Having to divide a dice roll, or get specialty dice for a core element of the game should not be necessary.

That is some amazing hatred for d3s! I've never seen such visceral dislike for dividing by 2 - I'm actually so impressed I really want to send you a d3.

Let's try d4, d4+1, d4+2, d4+3? Even the worst Fighter gains at least as many HP as the best Wizard. I'm certainly seeing a lot of love for 'minimum' dice rolls and safety nets - this is a formal version of that.

 

[Empirate]

A while ago, my players complained about the flat randomness (no bell curve) of the HP roll, right after we switched to point buy for ability scores. I could see their point, so I offered the option of choosing:

a) roll your HD, one roll, no re-roll, old-school, or
b) take half your max result for a roll (i.e., Barbarian gets 6 HP, Wizard gets 2).

This allows the option of rolling if you like it for the excitement, but also allows you to keep things simple. The relative safety of picking the fixed amount is balanced by the fact that, on average, rolling produces slightly better results.

My players are happy with that.

 

[Li Shenron]

A while ago, my players complained about the flat randomness (no bell curve) of the HP roll

Hang on... isn't that pretty much a bell curve after 4-5 levels?

 

[CroBob]

Hang on... isn't that pretty much a bell curve after 4-5 levels?

No. How would it be? Every individual level has the same odds of being a low number. That is, once you've gotten your first 3 levels and incidentally rolled low, once you gain that fourth level, the odds of rolling low are exactly the same as for the second and third level which you've already rolled. There's no actual dice karma, that's a superstition. So your fighter, who has 17 HPs at level 3, for the sake of the argument, has the same odds of rolling a low that the Paladin who rolled well so far has, even though the Pally has 31 HPs. In theory, the two gain the same average, and the Fighter remains theoretically behind the Pally if we assume average rolls from there out. The Fighter could get lucky, or the Pally unlucky, and they could even out, but there is no automatic fix for rolling low. It's all the luck of the roll.

 

[SkidAce]

Players never complain when they roll max hp or near it for five or six levels in a row.


Which also throws off combat "balance"...

I like random, re-roll ones. Usually averages out.

 

[Agamon]

What I do: Reroll all HD at every level increase and take the new score or the old one +1. Scores that are high or low are possible, but won't stay that way for long.

And my players get upset when something random is made non-random, even if their expected value from the change is increased.

 

[Starfox]

One idea I had LONG ago (based on initial misunderstanding of the rules back when I was 14 or so) was that you re-roll Hp every day. Its actually not a bad idea - not only does it remove any long-term effects of bad random rolls, it also gives your character a "form of the day", some days are better, others less so.