Fast ways to track Hit Points...need help

[ThirdWizard]

I use a calculator because I can't do basic math.

But, I can hit the buttons real quick.

Adding would be better, but I might get confused when trying to figure out if non-lethal damage has knocked the opponent unconcious. Hmm maybe if I counted non-lethal down. It would have the same effect...

As for multiple monsters, that's what numbered bases are for.

 

[Crothian]

It's not so much a problem at lower levels. At higher levels it's a pain, the chipping away of a large hit point total is time consuming. Once you factor fast healin/regeneration it can get confusing. Also with larger combats...ie..Tracking that orc #4 has 12 hit points left, Orc #5 has 2 left, etc. That sort of thing.

Practice. Seriously, the more you do it the faster and better at you will become. DMing is not easy, and you have to work to get better at it.

 

[Gundark]

Practice. Seriously, the more you do it the faster and better at you will become. DMing is not easy, and you have to work to get better at it.

Been at it for awhile actually . I didn't think that combats where an issue until I played True 20 and saw how fast combats where and how much more we got accomplished. Then I started trying to figure out a way to bring the True 20 damage system over. But like I said I am running into roadblocks.

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

I get super-annoyed when players can't tell me how many HP their PC's have. As a player, I mark down the amount I've taken, and the current total. So, if my PC has 22 HP, and takes 7 points from anything, I'll write down -7/15 on a sheet of paper. If he takes another 2 HP in the same round, I'll mark -2/13 on the same line; if he takes 2 HP in the next round, I'd mark it on the line under the previous mark.

I know a lot of people who track how much damage they've taken, but they don't have the current total written anywhere and have to do the math every time I ask.

As a DM, I'm tracking it in a very simple Excel sheet. One cell is for max HP, one is for current HP.

 

[Chaldfont]

Another thing you can do is use rough estimates.

My high school physics teacher had a whole class on estimation. He showed us, with real examples, how we could come pretty close to the real answers of complex math problems by rounding to make the math easier. In D&D, who cares if the 107 hp dragon falls when he takes 100 damage? The players will never know. Just round up or down to the nearest 10 (the math is really easy) or to the nearest 5.

Hehehe, many times you don't even need to really pay attention to the amount of damage a player's attack deals when his foe is low on hp. If you know the average damage the PC can do on a hit, you can just compare and say that the orc drops without even doing the math. I do this alot with high-level area of effect spells. A 10d6 fireball does 35 points of damage on average, 17 if the creature makes its save. Let the player roll his dice ('cause that's fun--its why we play). Then do a quick look at the reflex saves, estimate what fraction of the targets might save, and knock over miniatures as appropriate.

Spend less time figuring bonuses, subtracting hp, and rolling saves and more time describing how the PC completely dominates his foe.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

I'm going to suggest the additive method to one of my gaming group guys. For whatever reason, he won't keep track of his hit points. He's lost two characters because he didn't realize he was at 4 hit points or something like that while in the middle of melee. Currently we're solving the problem by having him play a dwarf barbaraian with a high CON. That way, when the DM asks him how many HP he has, the number is higher.

 

[The_Magician]

I just use a paper and a pencil. I prefer subtracting from totals than adding up damage. I see no difficulty in this, but maybe you could try building a hitpoints/round spreadsheet?

 

[Crothian]

Been at it for awhile actually . I didn't think that combats where an issue until I played True 20 and saw how fast combats where and how much more we got accomplished. Then I started trying to figure out a way to bring the True 20 damage system over. But like I said I am running into roadblocks.

Well, stay with true 20 then.

 

[Conaill]

One suggestion I've heard in the past (but never seen in practice) is to use glass beads to track HP. Put them in a transparent cup or bowl, and you can track at a glance how much is remianing. Can be useful for the party cleric to decide who to heal first, of for the DM to decide who to attack first.

For higher HP totals, add significantly larger beads to count for 10's. That way, you can still do the "at a glance" thing (as opposed to when you're using a different color bead).

 

[lukelightning]

How about using M&M's for hit points? That not only tracks the characters hp's but also the player's self control.

"Um, DM? My character is dead."
"Dead? Didn't you have 12 hitpoints left?"
"mmmmm, hit points!"