Don't add together temporary hitpoints - lessons from the cleric

[erik_the_guy]

Just in case anyone is wondering, temporary hit points do not stack.

Also, many of you have been asking if temporary hit points stack. The answer to this question is no.

Finally, for those of you wondering about how to deal with temporary hit points, it would be wise to keep in mind that they do not stack.

That is all, have fun playing.

P.S. Temporary hit points do not stack.

 

[moticon]

The 4th bullet in the explanation of temporary hit points starting on page 293 of the PHB clearly states that ""If you get temporary hit points from different sources, use the higher value as your temporary hit point total instead of adding them together."

It's pretty clear that there are situations where you "add temporary hit points together". When would this happen if not "from the same source", meaning that a specific power, feature, or item is considered a source, even over iterative usage?

I don't understand why people think this would be so broken. The example given of a warlock is possibly one of the most likely to see addition of temporary hit points. take a 10th level warlock. In a typical battle lasting 4-5 rounds he'll mark 4-5 targets, gain 20-25 temporary hit points (the equivalent of about a single healing surge). Many times it won't stack anyway because he'll have lost them to damage before getting new hit points anyway.

Just to say "No, temporary hit points never stack" is not consistent with the RAW.

 

[GorTeX]

The normal rule is that bonuses from the same source do not stack, but bonuses from different sources do stack.

So, by stating that Temp Hp (basically a bonus to HP's) from different sources do not stack, the rules are pointing out that Temp HP break the normal stacking rules (different sources stack). Since this does not change the other part of the normal rule (same sources do not stack), it does not need to be mentioned in the temp HP rules.

 

[Runestar]

You have just explained why temp hp should not be allowed to stack, rather than why they would not stack under the existing rules.

 

[Snotboy]

The 4th bullet in the explanation of temporary hit points starting on page 293 of the PHB clearly states that ""If you get temporary hit points from different sources, use the higher value as your temporary hit point total instead of adding them together."

It's pretty clear that there are situations where you "add temporary hit points together". When would this happen if not "from the same source", meaning that a specific power, feature, or item is considered a source, even over iterative usage?

Sorry, I interpret differently from you. 'Instead' is referring between the 'use the higher value' and 'adding them together'. As a matter of fact, the title of the section you quote is 'DO NOT ADD'.

I'm also with the interpretation that 'different source' does mean different iterations of the same power. Let me ask you this--if the temporary hit points are not allowed to stack up in the manner you described, would you consider that underpowered?

 

[OakwoodDM]

The other thing to think about with regards to the sources thing is Resist and Vulnerable. If any number of uses of the same power count as the same source, presumably the best way to deal with monsters with Resist would be to spam the same power on them repeatedly, as the Resist would only take effect once. By the same notion, you want to hope you have a lot of different Radiant powers to deal with the undead if you want to take maximum advantage of their Vulnerability...

I would say this suggests that individual uses of the same power are different sources of damage/bonuses/temp HP.

 

[James McMurray]

The normal rule is that bonuses from the same source do not stack, but bonuses from different sources do stack.

So, by stating that Temp Hp (basically a bonus to HP's) from different sources do not stack, the rules are pointing out that Temp HP break the normal stacking rules (different sources stack). Since this does not change the other part of the normal rule (same sources do not stack), it does not need to be mentioned in the temp HP rules.

Temporary hit points are not a bonus, and do not follow the bonus stacking rules at all.

The other thing to think about with regards to the sources thing is Resist and Vulnerable. If any number of uses of the same power count as the same source, presumably the best way to deal with monsters with Resist would be to spam the same power on them repeatedly, as the Resist would only take effect once. By the same notion, you want to hope you have a lot of different Radiant powers to deal with the undead if you want to take maximum advantage of their Vulnerability...

I would say this suggests that individual uses of the same power are different sources of damage/bonuses/temp HP.

Resistances and Vulnerabilities are not bonuses, and do not follow the bonus stacking rules at all.

 

[Osculim]

I had that question myself after creating my paladin with bolstering strike I was quite dissapointed about the rule that you cannot stack even from same source. But after thinking about it a bit i came to the conclusion that it doesnt really matter since the chances of having any tmp hp left each round from this power is very slim anyway. Even with a 25 wisdom score the total would be 7 and most weapons would take that away with one bash anyway

 

[burntgerbil]

The answer is addressed pretty finally in the FAQ :

http://wizards.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/wizards.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=1396

Question 12.

It asks :

Can you ever stack temporary hit points?

No. If you receive temporary hit points from more than one source, just use the higher number, not the sum.




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[Osculim]

The answer is addressed pretty finally in the FAQ :

http://wizards.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/wizards.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=1396

Question 12.

It asks :

Can you ever stack temporary hit points?

No. If you receive temporary hit points from more than one source, just use the higher number, not the sum.




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Yes that was what was confusing everyone since something like bolstering strike is one source