D&D 5E Do you ever roll for monster HPs in 5E?

[el-remmen]

Related to this, I wonder if people would find it useful if instead of "average" hps, a stat block listed four possibilities: Runt (1/4 hps), Ordinary (avg), Stalwart (3/4 hps), Brute (max).

 

[Nikosandros]

I don't think that I've actually ever rolled for monster HPs in 5e, but if there are several of the same monsters, I vary around the average. If only a single monster is encountered, I just use the printed average value.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

No, I never roll. I sometimes change the HP from the average though, if I want the monster to be a bit tougher or a bit squishier.

(And we don't roll the HP for the PCs either.)

 

[Nikosandros]

Related to this, I wonder if people would find it useful if instead of "average" hps, a stat block listed four possibilities: Runt (1/4 hps), Ordinary (avg), Stalwart (3/4 hps), Brute (max).

That, IMHO, would be too much variation.

 

[J.Quondam]

Related to this, I wonder if people would find it useful if instead of "average" hps, a stat block listed four possibilities: Runt (1/4 hps), Ordinary (avg), Stalwart (3/4 hps), Brute (max).

I don't play much 5e, but yeah, that's is how I typically did it in 3e days, with the addition of "1-hit wonders" aka mooks. Classed NPCs were rolled like PCs.

 

[MNblockhead]

That, IMHO, would be too much variation.

Yeah, maybe drop "ordinary", but "runt", "stalwart" and "brute" are all great terms for DnD monster options.

 

[Minigiant]

I don't roll.
But I do runts and elites.

A Runt has minimum HP rolls but has +3 AC.

An Elite has max HP

Normal Orc 15 HP & 13 AC
Orc Runt 8 HP & 16 AC
Orc Elite 22 HP & 13 AC

 

[Crimson Longinus]

A Runt has minimum HP rolls but has +3 AC.

Why? What does the better AC represent?

 

[CleverNickName]

Yep, I always roll.

Well, technically Roll20 rolls for me whenever I drop the monster token onto the VTT, thanks to the MonsterHitDice script.

Spoiler: MonsterHitDice

MonsterHitDice​

Version: Latest 0.3.11

Authors: The Aaron

Automatically fills in the hit points for a characters dragged onto the table top.

The default token for the character needs to represent that creature but should not have the bar used for hit points linked to an attribute. Use the settings below to configure the script for how you calculate hit points in your game. There are several sheets for which the configurations are built in or you can use the more detailed settings. Details about each setting are included along with it.

Commands​

!mhd​

This will reroll hitpoints for all selected tokens.

User Customization Options​

Bar: Select the bar to use for hitpoints. (Default: Bar 1)
Sheet: Select the character sheet you are using to attempt to preconfigure for that sheet. (Current setting: DnD 5e - Community Contributed)
HitDice Attribute: Type the name of the attribute used to store the Hit Dice formula. (Default: HitDice)
SRD Embedded Formula: Select this checkbox if the HitDice attribute has formula in the SRD embedded format (Default: On)
1st Edition HD in Attribute (d8): Select this checkbox if the HitDice attribute contains a number of d8s to roll for hitdice (Default: Off)
Separate Constitution Modifier: Select this checkbox if you store the constitution modifier separately from the HitDice formula. (Default: Off)
Constitution Attribute: Type the name of the attribute used to store the constitution value. (Default: blank)
Constitution is Stat: Select this checkbox if the Constitution attribute should be converted to a modifier ((CON-10)/2). (Default: Off)

 

[Xamnam]

Yep. Part of my prep for each session, if I know certain combats are likely, is rolling the HP of each combatant in advance. Even if it's a random of unexpected encounter though, I still always roll.