Can you lower your own hitpoints?

[Wolfwood2]

There are some situations out there, such as some of the barbarian powers, where it is to a PC's advantage to be bloodied. Given the nature of a hitpoints, can a PC just declare they are voluntarily losing their "avoid damage" mojo and immediately lower their hitpoints to the bloodied value?

Why or why not?

 

[RigaMortus2]

can a PC just declare they are voluntarily losing their "avoid damage" mojo and immediately lower their hitpoints to the bloodied value?

No.

Why or why not?

Because the rules don't say that you can. And you couldn't do this in previous editions either, which lends support that you can't do it in this edition unless it is specifically called out somewhere that you can.

That said, there is always the Blood Mage paragon class, which is the closest thing to S&M that you can do to yourself.

 

[Klaus]

There are some situations out there, such as some of the barbarian powers, where it is to a PC's advantage to be bloodied. Given the nature of a hitpoints, can a PC just declare they are voluntarily losing their "avoid damage" mojo and immediately lower their hitpoints to the bloodied value?

Why or why not?

Sure you can. Just attack yourself. Imagine a barbarian that runs his hand through his sword, drawing blood and getting psyched for battle.

Other than that, no. It's not like you can, in real life, to get more tired just by willing it.

 

[the8bitdeity]

You can choose NOT to spend healing surges. I forsee some interesting table discussion when our cleric tells the Dragonborn Barbarian (I allowed him to ret-conn from Fighter since it fit the idea better) she Healing Worded him and he decides NOT to spend a healing surge to say in "bloodied".

 

[Hypersmurf]

Imagine a barbarian that runs his hand through his sword, drawing blood and getting psyched for battle.

Blouse.

The hardcore barbarian runs his sword through his hand.

-Hyp.

 

[aurance]

As a completely untested house rule, I would allow a character to inflict their bloodied hit point value in damage to themselves as a standard action that provokes an opportunity attack.

This could also be used for suicidal enemies that would rather die than be captured, and a PC can use the opportunity attack as some sort of improvised grab to stop them from seppuku.

 

[Minigiant]

I'd say that you can choose yourself as the target for any basic melee attack. It would be an automatic hit and you would get to chose if it is a critical hit or not. If you chose to make it a critical hit, the attack counts as a coup de grace too. You'd also have combat advantage against yourself.

You'd basically be hitting yourself. You can't miss but you might not die. I'd only say basic attacks since you should not be able to Tide of Iron yourself.

 

[Klaus]

Blouse.

The hardcore barbarian runs his sword through his hand.

-Hyp.

"Blouse"? That's new, and I've yoinked it!

 

[Hypersmurf]

"Blouse"? That's new, and I've yoinked it!

It's shorthand for the full expression, "You big girl's blouse!"

-Hyp.

 

[ki11erDM]

It's shorthand for the full expression, "You big girl's blouse!"

-Hyp.

http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-big3.htm

Think the lord for *insertsearchengineofchoice* I had no clue what in the world you were talking about! hehe.

 

[HighTemplar]

The bloodied value is there for a reason, it is a specific treshold designed by DnD to trigger your will to live/most basic instincts.

As everyone else said, no you cannot. it's kinda like getting in a fight, some guy is annoying you, you reply back, he then punches you in the head but in a weak manner, you're pissed, but you kinda feel like laughing as well. he then lands a solid kick in your head, you go over your limit "that does it" and jump the guy savagely. Of course you could have jumped the guy after his first weak punch, but you wouldn't have been very motivated to do so.

You needed this other hit to send you over, this is represented by the bloodied value in dnd. In summary even if you really wanna be pissed you still need something to trigger it. Whether a real threat does it or if you do it yourself is still not stated so find any legitimate means of lowering your hp, but not as a free action

 

[Starfox]

Let me quote the Cyberpunk rules (from memory): "Want to lower your Appearance? A straight razor costs 20 cents".

 

[Saben]

Melee Basic Attack has a target of "One creature". A creature can either be an enemy or an ally. An ally does not include oneself (PHB page 57). You cannot cut yourself (emo kid), but you can get an ally to cut you, if you are willing (S&M).

 

[jbear]

There is a weapon in the Adventurers Vault that allows you to provoke a wound to yourself to count as if you were bloodied... As a DM if you started brutalising yourself all the time with your own axe I'd probably offer you a homebrew feat that had a similar power with a daily limit based on CON or spending a healing surge +your level dmg to provoke bloodied until the end of your next turn. As you can change one thing each time you go up a level you would only have to wait til u went up the next level and so you could brutalise yourself with a bit of dignity...

but hey thats me. Ask your DM what he thinks about it... otherwise, yeah go ahead... smash your head against the wall a few times before the fight... each to their own I guess

 

[Hypersmurf]

Melee Basic Attack has a target of "One creature". A creature can either be an enemy or an ally. An ally does not include oneself (PHB page 57). You cannot cut yourself (emo kid), but you can get an ally to cut you, if you are willing (S&M).

Read p57 again.

'Creature' or 'creatures' means allies and enemies both, as well as you.

-Hyp.