Voadam
Legend
Heh, I disagree completely. I would say boosting hit points is a particularly bad way of increasing power-level. This is especially the case, since the biggest hit point boosts, both in absolute terms and even more so in relative terms accrue to the previously low-hit point classes... wizards, sorcerors et al.
[*]It increases the PCs' and NPCs' staying power thus prolonging fights.
[*]It is a way to boost power without adding any flavor (and it could be argued with actually removing some by moving the game ever further away from any notion of verisimilitude)
[*]The increases accrue most to the previously most powerful classes - spellcasters. Clerics and Druids are not directly affected by the hit dice increases (thankfully!), but Wizards and Sorcerers get a hit dice boost, whereas the previously weaker classes Fighters, et al do not.
I'm with Wulf on this.
Rangers, Rogues, Bards, sorcerers, and wizards get a boost on hp. Rangers and Rogues are expected to be in melee for TWF or getting in flanking sneak attacks. They have weak armor for lower ACs than melee tanks. Increasing hp helps them out in doing their combat jobs. Bards are the jack of all trades including rapier combat so they can use the boost as well.
Wizards and sorcerers get boosted up to beguiler HD levels, they become slightly less glass cannons, perhaps glass cannons with wooden frames. I expect PF wizards and sorcerers who take on front line roles where they risk significant damage to get chewed up, just slighltly less quickly than 3e ones. Their role is generally untouched back lines, this change of +1 hp per level does not seem to change that role IMO.
Also think about the interaction of hp and combat length. Increased hp generally = staying in combat longer. More rounds of combat means more combat round resources used. Core spellcasters have powerful but limited combat round resources. They start off strong and get weaker then tap out as they burn through spells. Longer combats in PF from increased hp means they go through more spells than in 3e and will end up using weaker spells in the extended rounds of combat duration.
Martial characters have more constantly useable attacks that are generally not as spectacular as spellcasters' top spells. Longer combats mean their attacks stay strong when the spellcasters' attacks fade.
Making fighters the dependable combat workhorses who relevantly stay strong to the end seems a good flavor issue.
In any case I don't expect the hp differences to be significant. I would not expect the +1 hp/level to allow more than 1 extra round of survivability in most situations, if that. But I think it is a push in the right direction.
Of note though is that increased hp also means that healing up to full requires more healing resources, so unless you import healing surges from 4e or some other mechanic this will be an issue.