Fellow DM, How do you handle Hit Point at each new level ?

[Inconsequenti-AL]

In the game I play in, we roll in front of the DM, keep it.

For games I run, I do the same... although I'll tell someone 'that dice is cocked' if they roll low and have really abysmal hit points for their level. Tempted to switch over to the popular roll or half(low) method, but I'll use it for NPCs as well.

Prefer the first method, but I'm a wuss when I GM.

 

[Whimsical]

There is a fixed hit point system listed in the 3.5 DMG...

[i]From the Dungeon Master's Guide, pg. 198[/i][b]
[SIZE=3][COLOR=Teal]GAINING FIXED HIT POINTS[/SIZE][/COLOR]
                                       Monk   Ranger
                        Wizard   Bard  Druid  Paladin
                        Sorcerer Rogue Cleric Fighter Barbarian
[i]Hit Die[/i][/b]                   d4       d6    d8     d10     d12
[b][i]Hit points at even level[/i][/b]   2        3     4      5       6
[b][i] (2nd, 4th, etc.)[/i][/b]
[b][i]Hit points at odd level[/i][/b]    3        4     5      6       7
[b][i] (3rd, 5th, etc.)[/i][/b]

I have had my players use this system to determine their hit points when I ran my D&D one-shots at a mini gaming con. It's especially nice when you want to have your players complete their characters before they come to the game table, and it would be difficult or impossible for you to witness their die rolls. Personally, I like to have character hit point assignment to be as fair as possible.

If I run a D&D campaign, I will determine what each player's average hit points for their character classes would be using the above chart, then keep track of what they roll. I would then determine the sum of each set of numbers and then assign the player the higher of the two totals for thier hit points. This keeps characters with above average hit points from receiving even more hit points while taking care of those who roll below average hit points. As the DMG says in the Gaining Fixed Hit Points section: Below-average hit points hurt a PC more than above-average hit points help.

 

[Darmanicus]

Prefer the first method, but I'm a wuss

Full stop.

 

[Storm Raven]

The player can choose the average (rounded down to a whole number), or roll. Their choice. Once they make the choice, they have to live with it. I use a house rule in which I give players "hero points" that can, among other things force a re-roll of any one die roll. Players who choose to roll can spend one of their hero points to reroll a bad roll.

 

[Nifelhein]

In my game you can tkae the average or roll, if you rol you get what falls, if you get a 1 or some other number and wants to reroll you will be allowed only if everyone on the table agrees to do the same, so we basically get away of all bad rolls scenario and tend toward a more average hit point progerssion forthe group as a whole.

 

[Pasus Nauran]

I played a Kobold Ranger in a 3e campaign a few years ago. At the time, we would always roll. After levelling 3 tmes in a row and rolling 1 each time, I fell far behind the rest of the party (even behind the spellcasters). It took me 4 levels to reach 40hp, luckily I was an insane archer, and thus didn't venture into melee much by nature.

In the next campaign, the DM began allowing us to roll HP twice, and take the better of the two. Alternatively, we could take half (rounded down) + 1, which is well worth it if you get d4s or d6s as hit dice.

 

[The_Universe]

I sort of play it by ear - I sometimes allow rerolls, and sometimes I don't. It's all totally dependent on my mood, and how "lucky" the PC in question has been in the past. If somebody has a +8 CON mod, I'm not going to shed a tear if they roll a 1 on the die.

 

[Psychic Warrior]

I just thought of something - in the Star Wars d20 game I play in we use the RPGA vitality point increases based on hit die.

d4 = 3VP
d6 = 5VP
d8 = 6VP
d10 = 8VP
d12 = 10VP

Add your CON bonus as normal. Has ensured that the front line fighters (actually me, the Wookiee Jedi Guardian) have the best chances of survival with big VP totals with even a modest CON bonus (I'm 5th level and have 52 VP/14 WP most of the rest of the party doesn't even come close to that).

 

[sjmiller]

In all the years I have been running D&D I have always used the same method. Roll the die, add your Con modifier, and write that on your character sheet. Even as a player I have never seen it done any differently than that. Now, for 3e I use the max first level and then roll. Seems to work just fine. So what if you roll bad one level, maybe next level you will roll your max. Using averages and similar methods just makes for a more boring system, if you ask me.

So what if Johnny the Barbarian only got 1 hit point last level? Maybe he was in top physical condition, maybe the gods are frowning upon him, or some other in game reason.

 

[the Jester]

When a pc levels imc, they roll for hps and they just suck it up if they roll poorly. After all, what's that one on the d10 for if not for the occasional bad roll?