Becoming undead-> hit die transition

[ColdoTannen]

Ok, I'm probably just stupid, but when someone becomes an undead in D&D all of their hit dice become D12's. Does this mean that, on the moment of becoming undead, you have to reroll all your previous hit die to determine your new amount of hitpoints?

 

[Dalamar]

I don't think it's spelled anywhere. So either roll, or if you know the player hasn't been rolling well above average hit points, just add the difference between averages.

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

I have always assumed yes, reroll all hitpoints on d12s. Unless all of a PC's hp rolls were especially good, on average rerolling should increase hitpoints-- supposedly one of the advantages of being undead.

However, I can't find that explicitly stated anywhere!

I suppose an alternative would be to increase hp fractionally according to what the original die-type was. So hps from d4s become x3; d6s become x2; d8s become x1.5; d10s become x1.2. But that only works if a player keeps track of all their individual hp rolls. Re-rolling is easier, imho.


[edit] Ah, I like Dalamar's suggestion to just add a flat difference in averages.
So for each d10, gain +1; d8, gain +2; d6 gain +3; and d4 gain +4. That's quite a bit easier.

 

[Dandu]

I think most people would suggest that if you rolled for HP, then roll again. If you took the average each level, then take the average.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

I don't believe that your current hit points change at all.

Rather, going forward, you use d12s instead of what you'd otherwise use.

 

[the Jester]

I have always assumed yes, reroll all hitpoints on d12s.

Correct- a good way to verify this is to look at templated undead like vampires in the MM.

Unless all of a PC's hp rolls were especially good, on average rerolling should increase hitpoints-- supposedly one of the advantages of being undead.

Oh no no no, at least not in my experience. At least once you're reasonably high level, you'll usually lose tons of hit points because of the lack of a Con score.

 

[domino]

But then, you should be losing those hit points from your con score anyways, just as you would if you had your con drained.

What you could do is subtract the bonus HP from con, (1, 2, 3 hp per level, or whatever) and then roll the extra hp only. So that, if you previously had d8 HP, you would roll Xd4 where X is your level, and add them up.

 

[frankthedm]

Look at your template. it will TELL you what to do with your HD.

because otherwise, you just lose your con score. See 3.5E MM Mummy with cleric levels.

8d12 plus 10d8 (97 hp)

 

[domino]

But then, you should be losing those hit points from your con score anyways, just as you would if you had your con drained.

What you could do is subtract the bonus HP from con, (1, 2, 3 hp per level, or whatever) and then roll the extra hp only. So that, if you previously had d8 HP, you would roll Xd4 where X is your level, and add them up.

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

Oh no no no, at least not in my experience. At least once you're reasonably high level, you'll usually lose tons of hit points because of the lack of a Con score.

Heh, I should have been clearer, and referred to the increased hp with respect to the hp rolls only. My experience has been the same as yours: the change in total HP is almost always a net loss.