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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Flynn" data-source="post: 3526490" data-attributes="member: 1836">Personally, I want to start my PCs off at 1st level, and not worry as much that they'll die from a lucky hit. That's part of my reason for asking about this. Now that I understand the reasons behind SECR's provision of additional hitpoints at 1st level, my reasons may not require as much of a boost.Then again, I hadn't heard of the Hackmaster "kicker" that Henry mentioned above. Perhaps this could be simulated with the 3x starting HP, or even just adding your Con Score to the base HP at first level. I don't know. I'm still kicking it around in my head.The average orc from the SRD bears a falchion and deals 2d4+4 damage, for an average of 9 damage (min 4, max 12), if he hits. Assuming that the average PC with a HD of 1d4, 1d6 or 1d8, maxed out, will go down with a single hit, and the 1d10 and 1d12 aren't loving life, either. I don't like that, just because that kind of thing can kill a game in the first session.To allow the rogue, with his d6 HD by class, to survive one hit with the orc's falchion on the average, I'd have to see at least double the hitpoints at first level. This still leaves the wizard in fear for his life, as the orc's average damage still exceeds double his standard starting HP, so one hit and he still goes down. However, everyone else in the party can survive an average hit and keep on dishing it out to the orc raider, or live to run away.If I use Henry's "kicker" suggestion, then I could simply add 10 hitpoints to the PCs' total (I rounded 9 up to 10, because it just looks bettter), and cover that single average shot, giving everyone the chance to take a hint and flee if needed. Hmmm....Now I should consider that several suggested starting at 3rd level, anyway, I assume that's for survivability. I want the characters to go through 1st level and build up from there, but taking these suggested values, I can boost survivability by giving the PCs the loose equivalent of 3rd level hitpoints, while still starting off at the lower levels, using either the concept of the "kicker" Henry mentioned or the SECR approach.I'm still up in the air about a specific implementation, but I think I like adding some bonus HPs at 1st level. Any feedback would be appreciated.Thanks in Advance,Flynn</blockquote>

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