D&D 5E What's Your (Character's) Constitution Score?

[Stormonu]

12, 19 & 14. The 19 is my Dragonborn Paladin.

 

[Cruentus]

I had to check, and it was 17 for my F2/Wizard (Necromancer) 14. And that went along with a 17 Dex and a 20 Int. We used 4d6 drop low/best of two columns, add in ASI's and Bob's your uncle.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

The characters in the party I'm running for have Con scores 14-16, with the 14 being most common.

It seems pretty pointless stat, as there is no much variation, in practice the range seems to be 12-16, and it has no skills, and doesn't usually affect rolls other than the Con save.

I also am not quite sure why people see 14 over 12 as important. Under point buy that is sort of an investment. Is handful of HP and +1 to Con saves really a big deal? I don't really see it.

I haven't made a character for a while, but I'd be fine with 12 or even 10. I'd rather have something more active, it's the healer's problem to keep me alive.

 

[TwoSix]

I also am not quite sure why people see 14 over 12 as important. Under point buy that is sort of an investment. Is handful of HP and +1 to Con saves really a big deal? I don't really see it.

I guess it depends on your experiences. I can say for myself the number of times my hit point total has been under the amount +1 HP/level would give me is not small. Likewise, for the number of times I've maintained concentration by rolling the exact number.

I also tend to play gish-like characters; for that playstyle, having enough hit points to take an extra hit, as well as keep your important concentration spell up and running, makes having a good Con pretty darn important.

 

[DND_Reborn]

It seems pretty pointless stat, as there is no much variation, in practice the range seems to be 12-16, and it has no skills, and doesn't usually affect rolls other than the Con save.

Yeah, the poll is going pretty much how I expected. Now, imagine if Constitution modifier did not get added to hit points at each level???

 

[CleverNickName]

Yeah, the poll is going pretty much how I expected. Now, imagine if Constitution modifier did not get added to hit points at each level???

Once upon a time, I wrote a house-rule where you didn't get to add your Con modifier to hit points at each level. Instead, you got starting hit points equal to your Con score.

It was wildly unpopular. The numbers must go up until you win, apparently.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Yeah, the poll is going pretty much how I expected. Now, imagine if Constitution modifier did not get added to hit points at each level???

Then there is no bloody point to have the stat at all. Just use Str saves for what would normally be Con saves.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Once upon a time, I wrote a house-rule where you didn't get to add your Con modifier to hit points at each level. Instead, you got starting hit points equal to your Con score.

It was wildly unpopular. The numbers must go up until you win, apparently.

LOL that is too bad. I've played with such a house-rule: 1st-level HP = CON score + rolled HD.

Our current house-rule is you add all your ability modifiers at 1st level to your HP, but then just get HD (no additions) afterwards.

Then there is no bloody point to have the stat at all. Just use Str saves for what would normally be Con saves.

Well, CON could still be used for other things (like the endurance feature we have which adds bonus levels of exhaustion you can take)....

 

[ECMO3]

mostly as people believe and correctly, that 8 Con character would not survive transition between tier1 and tier2 of play.

IME this is not correct. You can have a very weak character and survive quite easily as the game is biased towards the players, not the monsters. In combat smart play and tactics underpinned by great math skills will beat a good constitution every time.,

We had a Bladesinger at our table with a 9 rolled constitution. She survived fine from level 1 through all of tier 2. As a matter fact, she was the most powerful character in the party. This was an early SCAG bladesinger. During the transition from tier 1-2 she was not hit by a single attack at all for 3 levels straight (level 4-7 if I recall correctly) and she was in melee every single fight.

I think people overestimate how important constitution is. Two points of constitution is only 7 hps at 7th level. That is the same as you get from false life cast at 1st level. A Fighter with 60 hps is not that much more powerful than one with 50 hps at that level ... or even one with 70. If you are using the PHB default method and rolling hit points your roll is going to be a lot more important to your hit point total than 2 points of constitution will be.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I think people overestimate how important constitution is.

Yep. IME most battles you don't even lose half a character's hp, so those extra points (although admittedly handy when you need them!) are often unused.