D&D 5E Capping Hit Points

[Umbran]

I don't consider it a distinct benefit, but the fact that a warrior would have more hit points for longer in a campaign could be considered an advantage.

Yeah, well, they have that already, and in your system that benefit decreases once they hit the cap, as others start catching up.

Which is fine, but it looked like you were trying to give this as a selling point for the fighter-types, which was a bit confusing.

 

[NotAYakk]

This does a few things.
1. It makes numbers smaller
2. It makes con matter less at later tiers.
3. It significantly weakens barbarians, fighters, rangers and paladins in T3, and monks/clerics/rogues in T4. It has no significant impact on most wizards/sorcerers.

It only makes combat more deadly if you ignore the DM's ability to control how much damage enemies do. (This can be done with little narrative and mechancial effort: swapping orcs for orc berserkers in a fight, for example, has a larger impact than this change, unless everyone was something like a level 20 24 con barbarian)

 

[dave2008]

This does a few things.
1. It makes numbers smaller
2. It makes con matter less at later tiers.
3. It significantly weakens barbarians, fighters, rangers and paladins in T3, and monks/clerics/rogues in T4. It has no significant impact on most wizards/sorcerers.

It only makes combat more deadly if you ignore the DM's ability to control how much damage enemies do. (This can be done with little narrative and mechancial effort: swapping orcs for orc berserkers in a fight, for example, has a larger impact than this change, unless everyone was something like a level 20 24 con barbarian)

Or just have monsters do max. damage.

 

[DnD Warlord]

I would rather you only get HD at even levels at odd levels after 1st you get +1 or +2 or +3 (see 2e post 9th level) all classes lower there HD 1 size (so d4-d10 instead of d6-d12) take con mod away... but give full Con score at 1st level

even a barbarian with a 24 con would have 10d10+32hp. Or just under 100

 

[practicalm]

What are you trying to solve with this cap?

You mentioned teamwork but how does lowering hp increase teamwork?

 

[Jd Smith1]

Yeah, well, they have that already, and in your system that benefit decreases once they hit the cap, as others start catching up.

Which is fine, but it looked like you were trying to give this as a selling point for the fighter-types, which was a bit confusing.

Its a house rule. I'm not trying to sell it.

 

[Jd Smith1]

What are you trying to solve with this cap?

You mentioned teamwork but how does lowering hp increase teamwork?

Reduce hit point bloat. We're doing session 21 this week, and looking forward to the material remaining, we've probably got 40 more sessions to go.

As to teamwork, that's obvious: it will force the players to tighten up their tactical choices in order to ensure they don't get caught short. I noticed last session they were piling in with a bit too much devil-may-care, not concerning themselves with establishing covering fire or bounding properly. They were counting on armor and hit points to carry them to close & engage ranges.

 

[Umbran]

Reduce hit point bloat. We're doing session 21 this week

... I noticed last session they were piling in with a bit too much devil-may-care...

You are changing a rule that impacts all character growth based on one session out of 20?

 

[Fanaelialae]

I don't think it's a good house rule because it devalues a number of things that aren't overpowered to begin with:

1. Bigger hit dice
2. Toughness feat
3. Hill dwarves

I don't ascribe to the idea of hp as primarily meat, but even if you do, it doesn't make sense that a frail wizard with 8 Constitution will have the same number of hp as an indomitable barbarian with 24 Con at 20th level. That's like saying Ali could take the same kind of impact as Tyson at the height of their respective careers. They're both legendary boxers, but no way Ali could take a hit like Tyson. They literally weren't in the same weight class.

If the goal is to prevent hp bloat, then just cap hp at a certain level. Given that it sounds like you give characters max hp every level, if you cap it at 10 they'll be in the ballpark of same hp as if you went by the book, albeit 10 levels sooner than going by the book. Or just don't give them max hp every level.

 

[Jd Smith1]

You are changing a rule that impacts all character growth based on one session out of 20?

No, it had just become more pronounced. HP bloat has been a concern of mine for quite a while, but since we're playing a modern game I had it on the back burner.

It doesn't impact character growth. It just impacts stats. Players cause PCs to grow,