D&D 5E Tired of using CON modifier as a bonus to HP? Here's a simple alternative...

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

Might as well eliminate CON completely if it's not going to affect HP. Use the STR modifier for anything else that currently uses CON. That should also stop STR being the obvious dump stat for most classes.

 

[BookTenTiger]

I do like this as a house rule with the addition of @Peter BOSCO'S idea of still adding Con to Hit Dice during a rest.

 

[DND_Reborn]

5. It gives everyone of the same class and level the same hit points no matter what. No variability.

Boring.

I included that in #1, I like rolling HP... but no issues if you thought of it separately.

In this system maybe you could still add your CON bonus to the hit dice you roll to recover hit points, thus modeling "healthy people heal faster", even if it does not add to your base hit points.

I do like this as a house rule with the addition of @Peter BOSCO'S idea of still adding Con to Hit Dice during a rest.

You still would with the idea in the OP, for precisely this reason. Cool.

It is actually important to use con in that way.
I might try this variant out. Seems quite fair. I also might be inclined to add a second hit die to 1st level. Or a set amount of hp. 8 or so.

That is why I offered the idea of adding all your ability modifiers to HP at level 1. Most PCs have +4 to +7 in total ability modifiers when created. So, you could get that as a HP bump when you begin. If your modifiers increase, so do your HP maximum.

Since HP are abstract, including factors like dodging, resilience, divine favor, etc., IMO each ability modifier represents one of those abstract elements, so adding them to HP makes sense to me.

If you want to use a simpler method, that's cool. I thought of doing 2 HD at level one myself, but we've been using adding ability modifiers for a couple years and find it works nicely.

My preference would be to take inspiration from 1e and 4e.

Full hp at level 1 plus a die roll plus con bonus (like 1e rangers). Roll hp with con bonus for first 10 levels. Fixed hp (possibly rounded down for non martial classes) levels 11-20 with no con bonus. Toughness feat becomes more useful.

It is interesting you should say that. I was thinking of doing the max HP per level until 10th as well, and then half the max afterwards.

I am not a fan of the HP bloat in 5E in general, and this idea (in the OP) does nothing to help that... But I am offering more for people who don't like depending on CON for bonus HP.

Might as well eliminate CON completely if it's not going to affect HP. Use the STR modifier for anything else that currently uses CON. That should also stop STR being the obvious dump stat for most classes.

You certainly could. But I find enough uses for CON to not eliminate it, and 8/10 times if a PC does dump STR, they take proficiency in Athletics to make up for the deficiency. And using the variant option for encumbrance makes STR less likely a dump stat. Now, I often see STR as the lowest score, but even then it is 10 or higher. I've seen STR under 10 less than a dozen times in 4 years. YMMV, of course.

 

[Dreamscape]

Might as well eliminate CON completely if it's not going to affect HP. Use the STR modifier for anything else that currently uses CON. That should also stop STR being the obvious dump stat for most classes.

Were it not for the fact that the six-ability array is probably one of the sacred cows of D&D, it could be pruned down considerably with no ill effect on the game. GURPS does fine with just four, and even that could probably be dialled back further.

(Well, actually I have come to the conclusion that ability scores are just a distraction once you introduce skills, and could be done away with entirely. But that's another discussion.)

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I included that in #1, I like rolling HP... but no issues if you thought of it separately.



You still would with the idea in the OP, for precisely this reason. Cool.

That is why I offered the idea of adding all your ability modifiers to HP at level 1. Most PCs have +4 to +7 in total ability modifiers when created. So, you could get that as a HP bump when you begin. If your modifiers increase, so do your HP maximum.

I somehow missed that. Yes, a nice idea. Especially in point buy, where you can go 15/15/15/8/8/8 (total +5 or +6 after background modifiers) or 13/13/13/12/12/12 (total bonus of +8 or +9 after background modifiers),

I might try that variant.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I might try that variant.

Cool. Let me know what you think if you do.

 

[Redwizard007]

The more I think about this, the more I wonder. Is this a solution in search of a problem? Is constitution really a drain on creative character design?

 

[Jahydin]

@DND_Reborn
I like the concept, but as you noticed, this seems to unfairly punish low HD classes, give out too much HP, makes CON a dump stat, and gets rid of rolling for HP (fun for many).

For those who don't want to roll, maybe:
Full HP at Lv 1, average every level after?
+2 HP for everyone, since that's about the average?
Get rid of CON and just sub STR instead?

For those that do like to roll, maybe:
Full HP at LV 1, average every level after.
Add d(half CON score, rounded down) every level as well.
So a fighter with 16 CON would roll 5 (half d10) + d8 (half 16)
If you feel that still makes CON too important, drop and replace with STR.

Anyways, thanks for sharing. Not often I see an honest to goodness mechanics post!

 

[DND_Reborn]

The more I think about this, the more I wonder. Is this a solution in search of a problem? Is constitution really a drain on creative character design?

Ah... well, this was addressed in the OP:

Potential issues indicating this idea is NOT FOR YOU (which is totally cool, too):
...
4. Isn't this just a solution to something that isn't a problem?

...
For #4, the dependency on CON for bonus hit points is an issue for a lot of people, the forum has threads about it.

So, no, this is not a "solution in search of a problem". The problem is out there (for some players) and people have posted about it for quite a while.

CON is the least dumped ability in 5E because of the desire for hit points.

D&D 5E - Where's the Dump?

So, now years into 5E and I want to see what peoples' experiences are with dump stats. I know the results probably won't be surprising, but hey, maybe they will be...? What ability is your most common dump stat? YOU CAN SELECT UP TO 2 OPTIONS.

www.enworld.org

It is very rarely (IME) less than the 3rd highest ability for each PC because of this.

Look at 90% of PC builds and you will see the following (unless they generate scores in order):

1. Most needed ability is highest: STR, DEX, INT, WIS, or CHA, depending on class.
2. The next highest is likely either DEX or CON.
3. The third highest is whichever wasn't second (remaining of DEX or CON).
4. Sometimes WIS will trump CON if high perception, survival, etc. is desired or because it is a fairly common save.

Martials like high CON for the HP, and Casters like it for the HP and to help with Concentration checks. Even removing the HP bonus from CON, both would probably still desire a good CON for saves vs. poison, cold, life drain, paralysis, and other factors.

 

[DND_Reborn]

@DND_Reborn
I like the concept, but as you noticed, this seems to unfairly punish low HD classes, give out too much HP, makes CON a dump stat, and gets rid of rolling for HP (fun for many).

For those who don't want to roll, maybe:
Full HP at Lv 1, average every level after?
+2 HP for everyone, since that's about the average?
Get rid of CON and just sub STR instead?

For those that do like to roll, maybe:
Full HP at LV 1, average every level after.
Add d(half CON score, rounded down) every level as well.
So a fighter with 16 CON would roll 5 (half d10) + d8 (half 16)
If you feel that still makes CON too important, drop and replace with STR.

Anyways, thanks for sharing. Not often I see an honest to goodness mechanics post!

Thanks! I like working with the mechanics.

Any of your suggestions could also work to elevate the issues I outlined. I once considered the flat +2 per level as well.

It doesn't really punish low HD classes if you add the ability modifiers at 1st level. Giving out too many HP is most easily fixed by reducing the HD one step. CON wouldn't become a dump stat (see prior post) IMO. Getting rid of roll isn't an issue for me since most players take the average IME anyway.

I would never combine STR and CON. I find more than enough uses for them to be separate. You might as well combine INT and WIS or something... There are many people with great STR and horrible CON and vice versa.