D&D 5E Capping Hit Points

Jd Smith1 · Oct 5, 2020

As part of a continuing effort to revitalize the rather tepid 5e combat system, I've capped PC hit points. Having already increased weapon damage across the board, I think this help make combat something other than an exercise in attrition.

EDIT: PCs cannot exceed 100 + a single Con bonus in total HP.

There is no rolling for hit points; you get the number for your class and level plus CON bonus. I front-load hit points, so the higher you go in levels, the fewer points you get per new level, until you hit the cap.

Horwath · Oct 5, 2020

Rather vague...

at what value are they capped?
So total value? per level cap?

does not this punish more martial classes more than casters?
what about high investment into CON?

maybe just reduce per level value of HPs from classes?

starting normal, then +1 HP for d6, +2 for d8, +3 for 10, +4 for d12?

limit CON score to 14 without magic?

Jd Smith1 · Oct 5, 2020

PCs cannot exceed 100 + a single Con bonus in total HP.

There is no rolling for hit points; you get the number for your class and level plus CON bonus. I front-load hit points, so the higher you go in levels, the fewer points you get per new level, until you hit the cap.

I'm currently in a post-apoc campaign, and when we return to fantasy, there will be no caster (AiME).

UngeheuerLich · Oct 5, 2020

Horwath said:
Rather vague...

at what value are they capped?
So total value? per level cap?

does not this punish more martial classes more than casters?
what about high investment into CON?

maybe just reduce per level value of HPs from classes?

starting normal, then +1 HP for d6, +2 for d8, +3 for 10, +4 for d12?

limit CON score to 14 without magic?

In ADnD it was capped after level 9 for fighters and clerics and level 10 for rogues and magic users. IIRC it was still the wizard who had more problems than the fighter. 10d4+10 at level 20 is no more than your own fireball damage (average 35). If you are going from averages, a fighter has more than double the base hp at level 10 (52.5) and even more at level 20 (82.5).

dave2008 · Oct 5, 2020

I think there is some value in that. I have thought about doing something similar in future campaigns, but to be honest I don't have any difficult in taking out my PCs whether is one combat or 4 combats in a day.

My plan was for hit points to be normal up to 10th level, then after 10th level you only get a fixed number of HP based on your hit dice die (no Con bonus). So after 10th you get.

d6 = 1 HP per level
d8 = 2 HP per level
d10 = 3 HP per level
d12 = 4 HP per level

However, we found a method that works better for us and produces a similar effect I think. We have to pools of hit points:

Hit Points: determined normally and recovered normally
Bloodied Hit Points: mostly fixed & based on size: [STR mod+Con mod] x Size (Medium = 1)

When your HP are 0 or when you are hit by a Crit you then take damage of your BHP. When your BHP = 0 your dead. Makes crits much more exciting and gives a nice boost to the Champion fighter.

We also have armor rules that play into this too.

Stalker0 · Oct 5, 2020

I've been discussing the joys of Epic 6 3rd Edition with some old friends of mine recently, and with the recent 1e discussions around hitpoint caps....it occured to me that one of the reasons Epic 6 works so well....is it effectively reintroduced the HP cap (though it never directly says you have a cap).

So yeah more and more I'm interested in the concept. I personally wouldn't use a flat HP amount, as then wizards catch up to fighters eventually which seems wrong. But a level limited Hp cap makes a good amount of sense.

commandercrud · Oct 5, 2020

In my game, I'm doing it simpler. Stop gaining hit dice at level 10 and instead get +1 HP (if spellcaster of any kind) or +2 HP if not for every level 10+.

Ancalagon · Oct 5, 2020

I don't think this works because it penalized characters with higher HP (high con, high hit dice) at high level.

Instead I would do "something" to reduce HP overall. For example, have the wizards have 1d4 sized hit dice, rogues 1d6, fighters 1d8, barbarians 1d10.

Horwath · Oct 5, 2020

dave2008 said:
I think there is some value in that. I have thought about doing something similar in future campaigns, but to be honest I don't have any difficult in taking out my PCs whether is one combat or 4 combats in a day.

My plan was for hit points to be normal up to 10th level, then after 10th level you only get a fixed number of HP based on your hit dice die (no Con bonus). So after 10th you get.

d6 = 1 HP per level
d8 = 2 HP per level
d10 = 3 HP per level
d12 = 4 HP per level

However, we found a method that works better for us and produces a similar effect I think. We have to pools of hit points:

Hit Points: determined normally and recovered normally

Bloodied Hit Points: mostly fixed & based on size: [STR mod+Con mod] x Size (Medium = 1)

When your HP are 0 or when you are hit by a Crit you then take damage of your BHP. When your BHP = 0 your dead. Makes crits much more exciting and gives a nice boost to the Champion fighter.

We also have armor rules that play into this too.

maybe gradual drop in gained HPs would work better.
Like 1 HP less every 3 levels:

Level	d4	d6	d8	d10	d12
1	4	6	8	10	12
2	3	4	5	6	7
3	3	4	5	6	7
4	3	4	5	6	7
5	2	3	4	5	6
6	2	3	4	5	6
7	2	3	4	5	6
8	1	2	3	4	5
9	1	2	3	4	5
10	1	2	3	4	5
11	0	1	2	3	4
12	0	1	2	3	4
13	0	1	2	3	4
14	0	0	1	2	3
15	0	0	1	2	3
16	0	0	1	2	3
17	0	0	0	1	2
18	0	0	0	1	2
19	0	0	0	1	2
20	0	0	0	0	1

dave2008 · Oct 5, 2020

Horwath said:
maybe gradual drop in gained HPs would work better.
Like 1 HP less every 3 levels:

Level d4 d6 d8 d10 d12
1
4
6
8
10
12
2
3
4
5
6
7
3
3
4
5
6
7
4
3
4
5
6
7
5
2
3
4
5
6
6
2
3
4
5
6
7
2
3
4
5
6
8
1
2
3
4
5
9
1
2
3
4
5
10
1
2
3
4
5
11
0
1
2
3
4
12
0
1
2
3
4
13
0
1
2
3
4
14
0
0
1
2
3
15
0
0
1
2
3
16
0
0
1
2
3
17
0
0
0
1
2
18
0
0
0
1
2
19
0
0
0
1
2
20
0
0
0
0
1

Yikes! That is a lot less. I was suggesting dropping off after 10th level. Are you keeping or dropping Con bonus? I was dropping after 10th, so if you are keeping it, maybe it evens out.

D&D 5E Capping Hit Points

Jd Smith1

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Horwath

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