1st Level HP's = CON..thoughts on the rule

[the Jester]

Note that your druid has more hp at first level than your fighter does.

HMMMM.

 

[Nifft]

Here's what you really want to do: make a hybrid of SWSaga's system and my old race-based system.

At 1st level, each PC shall have:
- Double maximum HP for his class; and
- Bonus HP equal to his Con modifier (but just once); and
- Some extra HP based on his race, as follows:

• Halfling: +2 hp
• Elf, Gnome, Xeph: +4 hp
• Human, Half-Elf, Elan: +6 hp
• Dwarf, Half-Orc, Manead, Dromite: +8 hp
• Aasimar, Tiefling, Half-Giant: +10 hp

Cheers, -- N

 

[Plane Sailing]

I don't know if you've seen the Star Wars Saga system, but there all 1st level PCs start with max triple normal hit dice, plus their Con bonus.

So in D&D terms you would see

wizards, sorcerers 12+con bonus
rogues, bards 18 +con bonus
monks, clerics, rangers 24+con bonus
fighters, paladins 30 +con bonus
barbarians 36 +con bonus

Then again, everyone is using 3d6 or 3d8 damage weapons from 1st level in SW, so people *need* the extra hp to have any chance of surviving! Since typical 1st level foes do 1d6 or 1d8 damage, it may not be such an issue.

Cheers

 

[Felnar]

Here's what you really want to do: make a hybrid of SWSaga's system and my old race-based system.

At 1st level, each PC shall have:
- Double maximum HP for his class; and
- Bonus HP equal to his Con modifier (but just once); and
- Some extra HP based on his race, as follows:

• Halfling: +2 hp
• Elf, Gnome, Xeph: +4 hp
• Human, Half-Elf, Elan: +6 hp
• Dwarf, Half-Orc, Manead, Dromite: +8 hp
• Aasimar, Tiefling, Half-Giant: +10 hp

Cheers, -- N

where did these numbers come from? why does a dwarf get +8 while a elf gets +4?
didnt the racial constitution modifiers already account for race hp variation?

 

[green slime]

I detest this.

It further weakens the weakest class in play, the fighter. It strengthens the low HD classes, wizard, sorcerer, and psion. They all need a good Con for concentration checks.

How this is supposed to improve roleplay is beyond me. Hit points have very little to do with roleplaying your character as cool & distant, or warm and cuddly.

If you're going to award character's with more hp for what ever reason, at least do it proportionatly.

As always, some of Niffts Ideas are good. I suspect the planetouched extra hp is partly to counter the LA +1. I don't think that is a good idea, but the principle is still a good one.

I had a campaign where the size of the hit die you got was determined by your race, with modifiers according to what class you took.

Elves d6
Humans d8
Dwarves d10

 

[milo]

Am I one of the few players/DMs that like having the oh sht feeling at first level. I like being afraid of the goblin and absolutely terrified of the orc that you might run into at 1st level. As a DM 1st level typically onlly lasts for about 1 adventure. I make it a simple adventure where they wouldn't typically get enough xp to level, but give them a level anyways. Maybe you could just give all the pcs the toughness feat at first level or an extra half HD to their HP. Sure it wouldn't help the mage out much, but he should try to avoid melee at all costs anyways.

 

[Baby Samurai]

I don't know if you've seen the Star Wars Saga system, but there all 1st level PCs start with max triple normal hit dice, plus their Con bonus.

Then again, everyone is using 3d6 or 3d8 damage weapons from 1st level in SW, so people *need* the extra hp to have any chance of surviving! Since typical 1st level foes do 1d6 or 1d8 damage, it may not be such an issue.

Maybe double starting hp at first level for D&D characters?

 

[nobodez]

I'm fairly new to the game (only been playing since 2001), so I can see where both camps are coming from.

One camp, let's call them the "Life's a B" camp, wants the first few levels to be mean, gritty, and deadly.

The other came, let's call them the "Heroes Inc." camp, wants the first few levels to be easily survived so that the PCs can get to bigger and better things.

Both have their place, but it's up to the players, all the players (including the GM) to come to an agreement on how they want to play, either gritty, or (super)heroic.

Personally, I'd think of giving the PCs a level or two in an NPC class (Expert, Warrior, Aristocrat, Adept, or Magewright), maybe even three, before entering a PC class. I got this idea from d20 Modern, which requires at least three levels in the base classes (strong, fast, tough, smart, dedicated, or charismatic) before entering the advanced classes (D&D PC class analogues). This also has the advantage of putting more oomph into the NPCs (since most NPCs will have a few levels under their belt already, monsters too), which makes up for the oomph the PCs get.

It's not perfect, but at least it's within the system and has precedence.

 

[Emirikol]

Someone help me with the logic behind: "If you add more hit points to the mage at first level, the fighter becomes weaker." I need some explanation on this one. I know it's just to bring up discussion, so let's discuss it. How is that logical in a game that lasts 20 levels?
My tongue-in-cheek response is I get this notion that it's a "you're going to hurt a players feelings" kind-of-argument pandering to lone-wolf munchkin mentality where somebody in the group needs to feel superior or he will take his toys and go home. Well, if the kid is that way at first level, imagine what he'll be by level 9.
I can here the DM for this kid saying, "the barbarian's hit points went UP and the druid's hit points went UP. What kind of spoiled brat are you still asking for MORE, MORE, MORE?"

THE DRUID has a higher number of hp's at 1st than the fighter and I think that's what makes this whole experiment even more interesting. The druid player chose to make his character that way. The fighter guy dumped all of his numbers into strength and dex. The barbarian pulled a typical barbarian and went strength and con.

This simple change though actually helped me accomplish my goals: 1) make CON more important; 2) add more hit points at first level so combats can last longer; 3) make players judge how much CON they think they want to do..considering that everyone can start out equal; 4) it's simple.

jayh
p.s. we have a humanocentric campaign, but i always liked the first level racial variance idea for hp's

 

[Intolerant]

I just give players in my campaign max HPs at first level as a house rule. I also tailor the beginning games based on the party build.