Familiar Hit Points

[Xanterith]

According to what I read in the SRD, the familiar has one-half the master’s total hit points (not including temporary hit points).

What I want to know is what is considered temportary hit points. Are hit points gained through consitution gain through polymorphing considered temporary? I know have read in several places that hit points gained in that way are not considered "temporary" even though they are temporary.

Also, are any hit points gained from +con items considered "temporary"?

Thanks for your insight.

 

[IcyCool]

What I want to know is what is considered temportary hit points.

The spells False Life and Aid grant temporary hit points. These are basically extra hitpoints that you lose first. If any of them are left after their duration expires, then they go away.

Are hit points gained through consitution gain through polymorphing considered temporary? I know have read in several places that hit points gained in that way are not considered "temporary" even though they are temporary.

No. The last I'd seen, you don't gain (or lose) hp from a constitution score change via polymorhping. You keep your normal hp.

Also, are any hit points gained from +con items considered "temporary"?

No.

 

[DaveyJones]

total hit points in this case is referring to the master's hit points before adjustment.


at lvl 1 the master has 4 hp. the familiar has 2.

at lvl 2 the total hps = 4 + d4. so the familiar has 2 + d4/2 rounded down although you don't roll for the familiar as you already know the score for the master.
at lvl 3 the total hps = 4 + 2d4 so the familiar has 2 + (2d4)/2 rounded down (see lvl 2)

etc...

the hit points for the familiar are then adjusted for its Con.

 

[IcyCool]

the hit points for the familiar are then adjusted for its Con.

And where do you find this rule?

 

[irdeggman]

total hit points in this case is referring to the master's hit points before adjustment.


at lvl 1 the master has 4 hp. the familiar has 2.

at lvl 2 the total hps = 4 + d4. so the familiar has 2 + d4/2 rounded down although you don't roll for the familiar as you already know the score for the master.
at lvl 3 the total hps = 4 + 2d4 so the familiar has 2 + (2d4)/2 rounded down (see lvl 2)

etc...

the hit points for the familiar are then adjusted for its Con.

I think you got it wrong.

You do count in Con modifiers for the master's hit point total but not the familiar's con modifier.

from the PHB:

Hit Points: The familiar has one-half the master’s total hit points (not
including temporary hit points), rounded down, regardless of its actual
Hit Dice. For example, at 2nd level, Hennet has 9 hit points, so his
familiar has 4

Note that a 2nd elevel wizard or sorcerer can't have 9 hit points due solely to hit diice (2d4).

Temporary hit points are clearly called out as "temporary hit points".

things that increase you con (and thus your con modifier and hit points) are almost never considered temporary hit ppoints. See the rules for barbarians and the effects on their hit point total due to raging for an example.

 

[Xanterith]

Ah yes at level 3 I have 12 hit points then 4 I have 16...

But let's say at level 4 an amulet of health +2 - well my HP's go to 20, do my familiar's go to 10?


Also, for the sake of argument and not going by any errata or anything else that's out there for Polymorph, let's say that you DO gain hit points for an increase in your con, do you think those would then transfer over to the familiar as they are not temporary by the strict rules of what is considered "temporary" hit points?

Having the above rule in effect makes polymorphing dangerous because any hit points you gain are immediately lost when you switch back and in some cases can run into the hundreds.

 

[DaveyJones]

And where do you find this rule?

i didn't.
i was trying to figure out where the confusion was. so i proposed a situation that maybe explained the OP question.

edit: it was just a guess.

 

[IcyCool]

But let's say at level 4 an amulet of health +2 - well my HP's go to 20, do my familiar's go to 10?

Yes.

Also, for the sake of argument and not going by any errata or anything else that's out there for Polymorph, let's say that you DO gain hit points for an increase in your con, do you think those would then transfer over to the familiar as they are not temporary by the strict rules of what is considered "temporary" hit points?

Having the above rule in effect makes polymorphing dangerous because any hit points you gain are immediately lost when you switch back and in some cases can run into the hundreds.

If, for the sake of arguement, you do allow polymorphing con increases (or decreases) to affect you hitpoints, then yes, it would transfer over to the familiar as well.

 

[IcyCool]

i didn't.
i was trying to figure out where the confusion was. so i proposed a situation that maybe explained the OP question.

edit: it was just a guess.

Ah, you said it with apparent authority, so I was wondering if I'd missed something.

To re-cap, familiar hitpoints are simple. You find out how many hp the master has (not including temporary hp), divide by 2 and round down.

 

[Thanee]

This, BTW, means, that Con changes for the familiar do not apply to its hit points at all. You could drain the poor thing down to Con 1 and the hit points would be unchanged. Same goes with buffing, of course, apart from the '1'.

Bye
Thanee