General Rule questions

[Grimmjow]

so then if i have 3 temps and my friend wants to give me five can i get rid of the 3 and take the 5 or do i have to take at least 3 damage first?

 

[Jhaelen]

so then if i have 3 temps and my friend wants to give me five can i get rid of the 3 and take the 5 or do i have to take at least 3 damage first?

The 'five' will simply 'overwrite' your temporary hit point total since it's higher than the previous 'three'.

 

[Trit One-Ear]

I may be totally wrong here, but I was under the impression that temporary hit points don't stack if they're from a different source. But, for example, if I have an at will that gives me 3 temporary hit points, I can add those together every time I hit with it.

I wouldn't be surprised if this is wrong, as I can see that easily being abused, but that's how I remember reading it ages ago.

Trit

 

[Jhaelen]

I may be totally wrong here, but I was under the impression that temporary hit points don't stack if they're from a different source. But, for example, if I have an at will that gives me 3 temporary hit points, I can add those together every time I hit with it.

You are (totally wrong).
As of the latest rules update, temporary hit points _never_ stack, regardless of their source.

Even the exception (Psi)SeveredHead mentioned isn't actually an example of stacking:
The fighter build he mentioned (Battlerager) either grants a certain amount of temporary hit points or _increases_ the amount of temporary hit points gained by certain means (i.e. powers).

It's a fine distinction but it's an important one.

 

[Ferghis]

Temporary hit points generally do not stack. There's a fighter build that can occasionally stack temporary hit points though, but that's an exception to the general rule.

This exception was removed by an update. Now, temp HP never stack.

 

[Trit One-Ear]

Good, that's much simpler. Never been happier to be totally wrong .

Trit