Class HP vs Race HP

[swordsmasher]

I've heard that in some D20 rpg's that Hit Points are generated by race, and not by class. I was wondering which system might seem more logical.

My own opinion is by Class. A wizard is studying spells, learning how to cast them and stay alive by using his magic; while a fighter is training with his weapons and armor, and toughening up his body to withstand blows that would drop a lesser trained individual.

what do others think?

 

[CRGreathouse]

I agree that class makes more sense than race for generating hit points, in general.

 

[Darkness]

I concur with Charles.

in general

Yeah. Creatures without con being the most common exception.

 

[shilsen]

Same here. Mainly due to issues of balance. If racial hit dice replaced class hit dice, suddenly the half-orc becomes the most popular race for wizard

 

[hong]

D&D does both. I fail to see why you must have one or the other.

 

[Thanee]

Well, hit points make little sense, anyways...

But it's a good balancing factor between classes. And for what they are meant to represent, it surely should be that a fighter gets more of them than a wizard.

Of course, race also influences hit points, thanks to the Con modifier being applied to every Hit Die (not to speak of racial Hit Dice).

Bye
Thanee

 

[Darkness]

Well, hit points make little sense, anyways...

They're seldom explained satisfactorily.

Still, hong's dude factor explanation always worked for me.

 

[Thanee]

Yep, that's a very reasonable explanation...

Bye
Thanee

 

[JoeGKushner]

Hit points on a by level basis will never work for a type.

However, other game systems, like Rolemaster, provide the characters points to buy their skills and hit points are a skill. For fighter types, it's a cheap skill. For mage types, an expensive skill. The hit dice they gain is based on their race, or in D&D, it would be type, mostly humanoid with a few fey, and giant types thrown in.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

It could work, but you would need to rewrite the classes for balance. HPs are the biggest single balancing factor between the classes as the mechanics now stand.

It would also change how race balances in a way that I do not think I would like. Would it be an improvement to the game to have ponderous dumb hit point sinks standing next to hypercompetent 'Tolkien' elves that are delicate as a cobweb?

Racial HD for class levels does not really make sense.

If you want a distinct feel for each race, give each character 1 "racial level" (or something similar) as their baseline and start every PC at level 2.