D&D 5E Player Hit Points

[UngeheuerLich]

I'm with the poster who said the one thing PCs in 5e don't need is more hit points.

Which is why I prefer average hp. But rolling and having lower than average as a player sucks. It is just no fun.

 

[CapnZapp]

Players hit points are important for Hardcore LARPing

This.

 

[James Gasik]

There is a legitimate concern that too high of hit points can be a problem. But in that case, why do we even pretend that there are dice involved in hit point generation? Why do we even roll Hit Dice to heal instead a nice flat amount? (Not advocating for any particular method of play, seriously just curious).

Legacy? Because people hated it when 4e did just that?

 

[Distracted DM]

I like that method. But it should soon be worse than just using average rolls rounded up.
Maybe roll all hit dice, then you can either: keep your old hp. Take the average rounded up. Take the new rolled hp.

What do you mean that it should soon be worse than just using average?

 

[OB1]

I let individual players choose, and they must stick with the choice through the campaign. Those who role get to count 1s as 2s.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

What do you mean that it should soon be worse than just using average?

Standard rule: 1*(max HP)+(level-1)*(average HP+0.5)
Your rule: reroll all hit dice each level. If total is higher than old hp, use rolled hp. Otherwise use old HP+1.
I have not done the exact math, but the chances to roll lower than standard is quite a bit higher than 50%. So chances are great that you soon end up with lower hp than the standard value. And chances are high, that you make a big hp jump once in a while, and then just get a single HP for several levels.
Which is why I would set the floor not to old HP+1 but "average HP".

 

[Distracted DM]

Standard rule: 1*(max HP)+(level-1)*(average HP+0.5)
Your rule: reroll all hit dice each level. If total is higher than old hp, use rolled hp. Otherwise use old HP+1.
I have not done the exact math, but the chances to roll lower than standard is quite a bit higher than 50%. So chances are great that you soon end up with lower hp than the standard value. And chances are high, that you make a big hp jump once in a while, and then just get a single HP for several levels.
Which is why I would set the floor not to old HP+1 but "average HP".

But wouldn't the math say that you'd be cleaving to average, especially as the number of hit dice rolled went up? Not saying that your idea is bad but it'd definitely skew results further upwards. At that point you might as well just be using average instead of rolling, if there's NO chance to end up with a bad roll because the minimum is the average.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

But wouldn't the math say that you'd be cleaving to average, especially as the number of hit dice rolled went up? Not saying that your idea is bad but it'd definitely skew results further upwards. At that point you might as well just be using average instead of rolling, if there's NO chance to end up with a bad roll because the minimum is the average.

Since you roll all the hp again and again, you will you will at some point roll close to average hp... and the more dice you throw, the higher your chances to come close to average. But this is quite a bit lower than standard hp. And you have a 50% chance to roll lower than average. And once you roll especially high, chances are that you won´t increase your hp for some levels.

 

[cbwjm]

In one game I doubled base hit points at 1st level, meaning a fighter has 20 + con mod hit points.

I've also considered giving out the level 3 hit points at level 1 and you don't gain any more until you hit level 4.

Both are just ways to make low levels a little more survivable.

 

[jmartkdr2]

In one game I doubled base hit points at 1st level, meaning a fighter has 20 + con mod hit points.

I've also considered giving out the level 3 hit points at level 1 and you don't gain any more until you hit level 4.

Both are just ways to make low levels a little more survivable.

For a similar result, you could borrow a trick from Pathfinder 2e and have racial hit points (granted once at character creation, about a hit die's worth.) This give you some wiggle room to buff or nerf certain races, or just add a little flair to them.