D&D 5E As a DM, how do you handle monster hit points?

[James Gasik]

Sometimes a monster seems like it will fold far too quickly for it's CR, other times it's quite the opposite (especially with third party creations). Do you ever adjust the hit points of monsters, and what is your preference?

 

[ezo]

It depends. BBEG / Solo get auto max HP, sometimes even more. Otherwise average.

 

[Oofta]

Vast majority of times it's average, every once in a while I adjust.

 

[Charlaquin]

Usually I just go with the average, but sometimes I’ll go higher for an unusually tough example of the creature in question, lower for an unusually weak example, or just roll for it if I’m feeling spicy.

 

[overgeeked]

Fixed monster stats that scale with PC level. As seen in places like 5E MM on a Business Card from Blog of Holding, Sly Flourish’s Forge of Foes, as well as Doctors & Daleks.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Mostly I roll dice, but occasionally I will decide on a number within the acceptable range.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Vast majority of times it's average, every once in a while I adjust.

Yeah same. If I adjust that I'd probably just add HD and adjust the CR. If players don't get to roll - and no group I've played 5E with has ever rolled for HP - then I don't see why monsters would, doesn't really make sense. Sometimes I'd make them a few HP higher/lower just to avoid the actual precise number being obvious, but not usually even that.

 

[Oofta]

Yeah same. If I adjust that I'd probably just add HD and adjust the CR. If players don't get to roll - and no group I've played 5E with has ever rolled for HP - then I don't see why monsters would, doesn't really make sense. Sometimes I'd make them a few HP higher/lower just to avoid the actual precise number being obvious, but not usually even that.

There are a couple of monsters from the MM that I bump up their HP, others I drop because of the role I want them to play in the encounter. The only thing I virtually never do is change HP on the fly, what I had down at the start of the encounter is what they have.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Yeah same. If I adjust that I'd probably just add HD and adjust the CR. If players don't get to roll - and no group I've played 5E with has ever rolled for HP - then I don't see why monsters would, doesn't really make sense. Sometimes I'd make them a few HP higher/lower just to avoid the actual precise number being obvious, but not usually even that.

My players roll for their PCs, and I roll for the monsters.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

My players roll for their PCs, and I roll for the monsters.

Yeah it seems like those two approaches should be connected, generally.