D&D (2024) Hit Points: the change I would like to see

[clearstream]

I would like to see the following in 6e

• All characters start with two hit dice (taking the maximum of one and the average of the other as starting HP)
• Characters do not gain a hit die per level, instead hit die gains are distributed over their advancement table
• Characters gain two further hit dice per higher tier, to a maximum of eight
• As a ribbon, if rolling for hit points on gaining a hit die, reroll all 1s
• A new condition would be created - wounded - gained on falling below half HP. Wounded has no effect of its own but is looked for by other effects, e.g. healing word might fail on wounded characters, and poison would require the character to be wounded to deal extra damage.

This would exploit what I perceive as an opportunity for greater tension and vividness in 5e.

 

[DEFCON 1]

I mean... I guess? I dunno... nothing here seems all that different or exploitable than what we have now as far as I'm concerned.

Hit dice are hit dice. They're there, they get spent for a little bit of healing, they go away, they come back. I've yet to see them be anything more than the small little thing they are, and moving them around like you suggest does not change any of that.

At this point so many different players require and want so many different things with the hit point system that there's no one solution I don't believe.

 

[clearstream]

I mean... I guess? I dunno... nothing here seems all that different or exploitable than what we have now as far as I'm concerned.

Hit dice are hit dice. They're there, they get spent for a little bit of healing, they go away, they come back. I've yet to see them be anything more than the small little thing they are, and moving them around like you suggest does not change any of that.

At this point so many different players require and want so many different things with the hit point system that there's no one solution I don't believe.

The biggest impact would be a great reduction in the total quantum of HP.

Given a d8 and say 10 levels to top of tier 2, a cleric currently would have (taking the average) 53 HP i.e. 8 + 9*5.
The change would give that same cleric (again taking the average) 23 HP i.e. 8 + 3*5.

RAW implies that Con bonuses apply per HD, so the above clerics with 14 Con would have 73 HP versus 31. Taking into account that the wounded condition kicks in for them at 15, this makes damage palpable across all tiers of play. One reason why we're unlikely to see anything like this is that working through the emergent gameplay to understand any tendency toward alpha-strike play and ameliorate it would take playtesting cycles.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

I'd do something simpler:

HDs = Prof. Bonus + Con mod. (fighters and barb could have 1 or 2 more)

Recovery = Add Con mod to all healing received.

Wounded (I'd go for Drained) = Disadvantage on healing received. Since HP would be so low, I'd only trigger the condition when a creature falls to 0 hp in a fight.

 

[AnotherGuy]

I would like to see the following in 6e

• All characters start with two hit dice (taking the maximum of one and the average of the other as starting HP)
• Characters do not gain a hit die per level, instead hit die gains are distributed over their advancement table
• Characters gain two further hit dice per higher tier, to a maximum of eight
• As a ribbon, if rolling for hit points on gaining a hit die, reroll all 1s
• A new condition would be created - wounded - gained on falling below half HP. Wounded has no effect of its own but is looked for by other effects, e.g. healing word might fail on wounded characters, and poison would require the character to be wounded to deal extra damage.

This would exploit what I perceive as an opportunity for greater tension and vividness in 5e.

That may be a little low if taken in isolation. (i.e. no other change to incorporate damage avoidance or damage reduction).
I mean fireballs, sneak attack damage, smite damage will blow past those hit points quite comfortably, especially in a bounded accuracy system where hits are much easier, right?

I would base HD on Size and have a cap, and likely incorporate a damage reduction mechanic for armour, parrying etc
1hp - 1HD = tiny
2HD-3HD = small
4HD-6HD = medium
7HD-10HD = large
11HD-15HD = huge
21HD+ = gargantuan

 

[Yaarel]

• All characters start with two hit dice (taking the maximum of one and the average of the other as starting HP)

I prefer characters start with one Hit Die from being level 1 in the class.

But every character also gets a Hit Die from their species. Generally:

Tiny: 1d4 Hit Die
Small: 1d6 Hit Die
Medium (Lightweight): 1d8 Hit Die
Medium (Heavyweight) (Powerful Build): 1d10 Hit Die
Large: 1d12 Hit Die

At higher levels, this special Hit Die wont matter. But at lower levels it is flavorful.

 

[Yaarel]

• Characters do not gain a hit die per level, instead hit die gains are distributed over their advancement table

(4e probably has the best Hit Points implementation. Characters start with a large amount of hit points at level 1, equal to the Constitution SCORE. But after that, there is little improvement.)

If a 5e class only granted Hit Point improvements corresponding to the Proficiency Bonus, that would be great. Say 2 Hit Dice at level 1, three Hit Dice at level 5, four Hit Dice at level 9, upto six Hit Dice at level 17.

But this more reasonable Hit Point schedule would mean rewriting all of the math of 5e.

 

[GMMichael]

I would like to see the following in 6e

"Be the change that you wish to see in the world." - Gandhi

Draw up a 1-page pdf for us. Come up with a snazzy name for your module. Put it on...DM Guild?

I'm sort of expecting WotC to lean into more hit points, and more maths, since that will encourage people to use the nifty apps they'll be producing/reproducing for 6e.

But this more reasonable Hit Point schedule would mean rewriting all of the math of 5e.

Thus making it an excellent contender for the fully-compatible 6e.

 

[clearstream]

But this more reasonable Hit Point schedule would mean rewriting all of the math of 5e.

Not so much. 5e scaling is a quite overt and consciously constructed piece of design. The result would make 6e characters play on hard mode versus 5e characters. In a few places, in built scaling would ideally be re-tuned.

For the greater good!

 

[fuindordm]

I do feel like HP totals are too high and too similar among PCs. I think having fewer HD and more impact from Con and size at level 1 only could help.

I saw here on ENworld another idea I liked a while ago: rerolling your HP after each long rest so your maximum changes each day and the variability of the HD comes into play without creating a permanant advantage or liability.