D&D 5E 10HP Bonus for Level 1 Characters. Thoughts?

[cbwjm]

When we first started playing 5e, we skipped ahead to 3rd level. This wasn't to increase survivability, but more to allow every player to be able to set themselves up with a subclass. If I was going to increase hit points at level 1, I have a couple of ways that I would consider.

1. Add the entire constitution score to hit points at 1st level instead of the constitution bonus. From 2nd level onwards, con bonus applies as normal.
2. Give the players a bonus hit die, add constitution as normal for each hit die. This would give a fighter 24 hit points at level 1 with a constitution score of 14 or 15. Optionally, this bonus hit die would only be the set amount of hit points (or rolled hit points if you prefer that) so that the aforementioned fighter would have 20 hit points at level 1.

 

[MNblockhead]

No way. I want my players to fear death at every turn when they start out. An old friend of mine took me through a zero-level character Dungeon Crawl Classics crawl and it was awesome. I love how in a game like Skyrim, you have to be very careful and learn avoidance strategies to survive.

It would get old if that didn't change, but as other have stated, in 5e you power up quickly. But for me that initial, vulnerable period is an important part of a character's story arc.

 

[Zhern]

No chance. Much like MNblockhead mentioned above, my players need to fear death, and not just when starting out. They also need to learn that they should run from some situations instead of trying to stand and fight. The fear of death keeps them on edge and makes them think situations through instead of rushing in headlong and without applying any kind of strategy or tactics.

 

[Greenstone.Walker]

I'd say leave it as it is. You only spend 1 session at level 1.

To deal with the swinginess of combat, use average damage for monsters, not dice.

 

[Slit518]

When I ran my first major campaign back when I played 2nd edition, I had the players add their Constitution score to their overall HP at level 1.

 

[CAFRedblade]

I agree with Caliban here, just start em at level 3. The original intent was that by level three they are full adventurers, equivalent to older editions level 1.
Levels 1-2 are intended to be intro to adventuring 101. If you don't like how squishy those levels are, push em up to a higher level at the start, but still toss the same style of level 1 encounters at em, and go from there.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I think 10 hp is too much. I am still thinking there should be level 0 racial hitdice. 1d8 dor medium and d6 for small people. Add con bonis normally. You may take the average dor that hd and level 1 hd are not maximized.
That would result in a few extra hp for everone. If you still want more hp maximze the racial hitdie.

A human wizard would have 5+4 hp instead of 6. A fighter would have 5+6 hp so 1 more. A barbarian would stay with his 12 hp. The Con bonus will also be doubled and you have an extra hitdie to spend at short rests. So level 1 would allow for 2 short rests. Gnomes or halflings would have a d6 and 1 less hp.
A maximized level 0 hd would result in 3 more hp for medium chars and only 2 more for small chars.

 

[ScaleyBob]

I've run 2 campaigns where the PCs have started on Lvl 2 HP at level 1, and then not get any HP increase at level 2. Seems to work, and makes it just that little easier to survive. I did try double HP at First level, but that seemed a bit too much.

I really don't understand the point of the Instant Death rules, and how they work at first level. Even by the time you hit level 3, it's getting hard to reduce a PC to double their HP in negatives and yet at Level One it's incredibly easy. It seems counter intuitive in some ways. "Hey new players - try this game , by the way just when you're starting to learn and at your most enthusiastic, you're likely to die. Probably several times. Hope you like making new characters, rather than actually playing the game." I've known several groups who started, played the beginning of the beginning module and then all died. They didn't bother after that.

I'm all for making the game reasonably lethal, but but it shouldn't be right at the start. It should be forgiving right at the start. Give Characters a chance to grow, get some power, and get an idea of how the game works before it gets lethal. I suppose the whole 'Wizard with 1 HP' thing is so ingrained to some grognards, that it couldn't be got rid of for 5E.

 

[Amatiel]

I have a strong dislike for rolling hit points as well. Creates way to must variablity. When a character levels up they get their class average + Con per level. As I award (x3 hp boost for 1st lvl) that means a fighter with 14 Con gets 6 (class avg) +2 = 8*3 = 24 hps for 1st lvl, and 8 hps / lvl thereafter, unless they improve their Con.

 

[Rya.Reisender]

My suggestion:
- Level 1 starts with MaxHP equal to what is defined for Level 2 (e.g. a Fighter with 14 CON would start have 12+8=20 HP at level 1)
- HP gains from leveling up the first two levels is halved (4 HP per level rather than 8 HP per level - or roll 1d10+2, take half and round up).

So scaling would be:

Fighter 14 CON:
Level 1 - 20 HP (officially 12 HP)
Level 2 - 24 HP (officially 20 HP)
Level 3 - 28 HP (from now on same as official)
Level 4 - 36 HP
Level 5 - 44 HP

Wizard 14 CON:
Level 1 - 14 HP (officially 8 HP)
Level 2 - 17 HP (officially 14 HP)
Level 3 - 20 HP (from now on same as official)
Level 4 - 26 HP
Level 5 - 32 HP