D&D (2024) Allow players to know a foe's hp?

[TheSword]

I'm interested to know how EN Worlders run hp knowledge in their games? Are players aware of current health of foes and if so to what extent?

What impact does this have on your game and why do you like it... if indeed you do like it? What would changing the method do to your games?

For the purposes of the thread I can see four main ways of sharing that information.

1/ HP information is freely shared, for instance when a VTT token has the hp displayed on it, or where players are round a table and can see the DM's pad and the score is openly discussed.

2/ HP information is hidden by a bar on a VTT token or some other way of indicating proportion is used. Harder to do around a table granted.

3/ HP information is conveyed by various thresholds like 'bloodied' or at 'deaths door'. It doesn't really matter where these are set but they might represent half hp or down to their last 10% or quarter.

4/ HP information isn't shared. Players have no idea how many hp the creature might have aside from their own calculations and knowledge of the game.

 

[The Myopic Sniper]

One slight concern is that giving out foe hp totals steps on the toes of the 7th level Battle Master fighter feature. That feature ends up being a ribbon in most actual play from what I have seen though.

 

[Yaarel]

The rules list visual descriptions.

The status that I communicate are:
• "Fresh" and alert at or near total hit points
• "Bloodied" at half hit points or less
• "Downed" at zero hit points

Bloodied is obvious. That is when an attack leaves a mark. When a boxer lands a solid punch. When fatigued boxers get sloppy. When sword fencers dancing around suddenly draw blood. When fightsports shift from grappling to beating the snot out of someone. Etcetera.

Downed is obvious. Theres a sword sticking out of their belly.

 

[Corinnguard]

My DM will describe when a creature becomes bloodied and/or downed.

 

[Horwath]

100%-76%: fresh, uninjured, green HP mark/bar
75%-51%: bruised, yellow HP mark/bar
50%-26%: bloodied, orange HP mark/bar
25%-1%: near death, red HP mark/bar
0%: dead, unconscious, black HP mark/bar

 

[cranberry]

The only indication of a monster's HP I give my players is "bloodied"...but only if the fight has been going on for a while.

 

[payn]

I'm in the full, bloodied, and downed camp.

 

[aco175]

My group uses the red rings from soda bottles to show damage. In 4e it meant bloodied or 50%, but that has changed in 5e for us. For all monsters, I'll place a ring on them when they appear to be about 1-hit from dying. This may change a bit from low levels to higher levels when the PCs can deal more damage, but is generally in the 5-10 range. This allows the PCs to judge if they want to attack the same target with more than one attack or decide things if the PC is wounded, such as maybe killing the monster and then be able to move. Bigger monsters get the ring placed on the ground next to it to show it is about half. This may show the PCs about how many hits it has left or show them that it has taken a lot to get the monster that far and maybe they should flee.

It generally works better at lower level when the PCs tend to deal damage in the same range. Last week the 9th level barbarian suddenly dealt 70 points of damage to a giant and it went from almost half to dead without a ring.

 

[Shiroiken]

Since we play on Roll20, I like to use the bars to give the players an idea of the status of the bad guys. This avoids the "I attack whichever is most wounded" argument, since they can look and decide for themselves. It's also hilarious when they deal damage to the BBEG and barely see the bar move at all.

 

[Morrus]

Bloodied, here. Also I'll signal when they're on their last legs.