How does your group handle a character's Hit Points?

[Davelozzi]

In our group, the player rolls once and I roll once secretly behind the screen. Based on his/her roll, the player chooses whether to accept their roll or mine.

 

[the_bruiser]

Card System

edit: wrong thread - sorry guys

 

[vox]

We always use "average + .5". It means no one gets screwed and we always know how many hit points each character is supposed to have--the DM doesn't have to be around to see your rolls, etc.

But the "DM roll + player roll, you pick method" seems like it could be fun too. I may run that up the flagpole and see who salutes.

 

[Alhazred]

The group with which I play has developed two options for determining hit points. Option One: Roll twice and take the better of the two rolls. Option Two: Take 75% of the maximum possible die roll (eg. 3 on a d4, 7 on a d10). Players must declare which option they use at each level, though you can switch options at each level. Option One is good for d12 and d10 characters; the second option is good for d4 characters. Or so our resident math grad tells us.

 

[Treebore]

I do it the same way you do, with one difference, I do re-roll low numbers. My players don't know that. At least not for sure. I believe they suspect it.

 

[danzig138]

You roll the dice and keep the result. It's how I do it for adversaries, and how the players do it for their characters. I do give max at 1st level.

 

[HPLovecraft]

Just for the ease of leveling characters, i allow them max hit points every level.

The trade off is that ALL monsters and bad guys are maxed as well!

"Okay, so you got 150 hit points! Guess how many the super old Red Dragon has?"

 

[Matthias]

For some reason, methods that involve a player having to decide between a hit die roll he doesn't like, and a complete unknown number seem like unnecessary cruelty to me. (Not that I'm against cruelty, mind you.)

So far I have only done the book method and give max HP every level, but in future I will likely:

1) Player characters get maximum hit points every level, with the Toughness feat giving +4 HP. Advantage: it's impossible to cheat. Disadvantage: harder to kill characters.

2) Players roll next lowest HD size + 2 points (e.g. fighter gets 1d8+2). Advantage: players don't feel so bad about rolling 1s. Disadvantage: harder to kill characters.

3) Players roll twice for HD every level, and take the better roll. Advantage: no gripes from players about bad rolls. Disadvantage: harder to kill characters.

4) Players reroll total HD each time they take a new level. Advantage: No bad die roll is permanent, players gain false sense of security about the survivability of their characters. Disadvantage: none, because the characters are just as easy to kill.

 

[SlimeGuru42]

My groups long time D&D/Star Wars GM started a radical movement that really caught on in our circle. Max HP till 3rd level then Max-2 or roll straight up. Yes it favors higher hit die classes, but I'm the one that plays mages and I never complain. I know if I'm in melee combat im dead anyway.

I'm snatching this method for my upcoming Eberron game, adds a more gung ho action movie feel. Of course... Pertinent NPCs get the same benefit. I use the low end of average HP for the "mooks" though. I suppose I've played too much Star Wars. Blow through the stormtroopers/droids to get to the bounty hunter/dark jedi and begin epic battle. Though combat is a little scarce , the fights we do have are super memorable.

~Derrick

 

[Galethorn]

I use average hp-per-HD-but-max-at-1st, as listed in the DMG, with one minor change; at even levels, you get an even number, and at odd levels you get an odd number...so;

D8 gets 8 at 1st, 4 at 2nd, 5 at 3rd, 4 at 4th, etc.

d10 gets 10 at 1st, 6 at 2nd, 5 at 3rd, 6 at 4th, etc.

And so on.