Monster Hit Point Formula (just worked it out)

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Upper_Krust

Hero

• Mar 2, 2008

• #1

Hey all!

Okay, apologies if this has already been posted, I looked but couldn't find it.

I was able to work out the formula for monster hit points earlier. I think it works in pretty much every case.

[Monster Level +1] x [Power Level Modifier for Role], + Con Score

Power Level Modifiers for Roles:

Brute: 10 hp/level
Soldier: 8 hp/level
Skirmisher: 8 hp/Level
Artillery: 6 hp/level
Controller: 6 hp/level
Lurker: 6 hp/level

Kobold Skirmisher: Level 1 Skirmisher (27 hp)

2 x 8, + 11 = 27

Bodak Skulk: Level 16 Lurker (124 hp)

17 x 6, +22 = 124

Boneclaw: Level 14 Soldier (Hp 136)

15 x 8, + 16 = 136

For Elite Monsters use the following formula:

[Monster Level +1] x [Power Level Modifier for Role x 1.5], + Con Score

Pit Fiend: Level 26 Elite Soldier (HP 350)

27 x 12, +27 = 351 (I think they just rounded this down)

I don't know the formula for Solo Monsters (I haven't seen any solo examples yet) but I guesstimate it could be...

[Monster Level +1] x [Power Level Modifier for Role x3 or more], + Con Score

I also need to see some more examples of Minions to contrast things, but I imagine it would be a variation on this theme. The Vampire Spawn has 1/9th the hit points the above formula gives it.

 

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Christian

Explorer

• Mar 2, 2008

• #2

The Black Dragon from the D&DXP sample game is listed as a Level 4 Solo Skirmisher, with a 16 Con & 280 HP. So here's my suggestion for Elites and Solos ..

Elite: [Monster Level +1]x[Power Level for Role] + 5xCon
(Pit fiend is then 27x8 + 5x27 = 351

Solo: [Monster Level +1]x[Power Level for Role] + 15xCon
(Black Dragon is then 5x8 + 15*16 = 280)

Not really enough data points yet to say for certain--but that certainly looks elegant!

(Edited to add: I checked your base formula against the other sets of monster stats that have been posted, and everything matches perfectly except for the two Shadar-kai, the chainfighter and the gloomblade. Both are listed as level 6 Skirmishers, but have hit points as if they had a modifier of 6 rather than 8. So there may be exceptions, or something ...)

 

Last edited: Mar 2, 2008

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Dragonblade

Adventurer

• Mar 2, 2008

• #3

Nice work there! I hope this is all transparently laid out in the 4e DMG.

 

Colmarr

First Post

• Mar 2, 2008

• #4

Christian said:

The Black Dragon from the D&DXP sample game is listed as a Level 4 Solo Skirmisher

Click to expand...

Isn't the dragon a Lurker?

 

Lord Sessadore

Explorer

• Mar 2, 2008

• #5

Colmarr said:

Isn't the dragon a Lurker?

Click to expand...

Yes, yes it is.

So, that makes the solo equation
[Monster level * 11]*[Power level for Role] + Con score
= 44*6 + 16 = 280
Or [Monster level + 1]*[Power level for Role] + Con score * 16
= 30 + 256 = 286
Or [Monster level + 1]*[Power level for Role * 9] + Con score
= 5*54 + 16 = 286
Or etc...

I think we need more data...

 

LowSpine

First Post

• Mar 2, 2008

• #6

This is from a thread I started in Gleemax, but only one person was in any way interested so I'm glad I found someone who would give a ? after all the hard work.

The minion is just a guess - the others all work consistantly.


Minion Creature :: (CON + (BASEHITPOINTS x (LEVEL+1))) / 4



Normal Creature :: CON + (BASEHITPOINTS x (LEVEL+1))

Elite Creature :: CON + (( BASEHIT POINTS x ( LEVEL + 1 )) x 2 )

Solo Creature :: (CON + (BASEHITPOINTS x (LEVEL+1))) x 5


But the elite looks wrong (from Pit Fiend). I believe it should read:

Elite Creature :: (CON + (( BASEHIT POINTS x ( LEVEL + 1 ))) x 2


That way the Pit Fiend should get x 2 its CON the way a Solo gets x 5 its CON. It has 350hp (rounded down from 351 so Bloodied can be half at 175) but should have 378hp and Bloodied 189. It is a Leader so has a Base HitPoints 6.

All the monsters I have tried have had 6 or 8 hp per level.

To be consistant a normal/standard creature would read:

Normal Creature :: (CON + (BASEHITPOINTS x (LEVEL+1))) x 1

This way you could design a monster to be worth any number of standard creatures, of a given level, you feel like by adjusting the multiplier. If you want to make a MegaSolo to go against 20 PCs you would just make it x20 - but we would have to know the other mechanics as well.

 

Last edited: Mar 2, 2008

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Darkthorne

First Post

• Mar 3, 2008

• #7

LowSpine said:

That way the Pit Fiend should get x 2 its CON the way a Solo gets x 5 its CON. It has 350hp (rounded down from 351 so Bloodied can be half at 175)

Click to expand...

I believe what you what to do with the elite is round down the bloodied value first than mulpity that amount by 2 for full hp
((8*27)+(Con*5))/2 rounded down =
(216+135)/2 = 351/2 = 175.5 rounded down 175 for bloodied, 350 for full
In excel: =ROUNDDOWN((8*(Level+1)+Con*5)/2,0)*2 8 being base hp

 

LowSpine

First Post

• Mar 3, 2008

• #8

Darkthorne said:

I believe what you what to do with the elite is round down the bloodied value first than mulpity that amount by 2 for full hp
((8*27)+(Con*5))/2 rounded down =
(216+135)/2 = 351/2 = 175.5 rounded down 175 for bloodied, 350 for full
In excel: =ROUNDDOWN((8*(Level+1)+Con*5)/2,0)*2 8 being base hp

Click to expand...

You just take the method for determining the HP of a normal creature:

Normal Creature :: CON + (BASEHITPOINTS x (LEVEL+1))

SOLO, Young Black Dragon, is worth 5 creatures so you just times that by 5:

Solo Creature :: (CON + (BASEHITPOINTS x (LEVEL+1))) x 5

With Elite, that is worth 2 creatures, you should just times it by 2:

Elite Creature :: (CON + (( BASEHIT POINTS x ( LEVEL + 1 ))) x 2

But there is an error and the math for the Pit Fiend only accounts for only 1 times the CON score:


Elite Creature :: CON + (( BASEHIT POINTS x ( LEVEL + 1 )) x 2 )

The Pit Fiend is a Leader and has a BASEHITPOINTS of 6.

 

Hjorimir

Adventurer

• Mar 3, 2008

• #9

I was too late...n/m.

 

S

Spatula

Explorer

• Mar 3, 2008

• #10

I really doubt that hit point totals are being rounded anywhere, except to get the bloodied value. The pit fiend has 350 hp; any formula that results in 351 for a 26 elite soldier is probably incorrect.