Hit Points and Constitution damage System
Bawylie
A very OK person
I mentioned monks upthread. I don’t currently have any in the group, but if I did, Unarmored Defense would provide an AC boost but not count as armored (a monk would still be vulnerable to damage). That being said, the monk kit comes with some very good ways to avoid damage. Ki for using dodge as a bonus action, catching projectiles, additional mobility and evasion. A monk adventurer, like any other, would have to weigh their options carefully in combat in my system. If a monk were critically hit, they’d be no worse off than if they were hit regularly. Likewise a monk that rolled a 1 on an attack might break a hand or something but would still be able to make other unarmed strikes - so not really too much worse off, all things considered.
(One thing I forgot to mention is that failed death saving throws linger and a long rest removes only one).
As for mages, I have a valor bard in the party who wears medium armor.
If I had any mages, they’d be smart to use Mage Armor - which would increase AC but still not protect against damage. Since mages are usually casting spells, they usually aren’t making spell attacks - but if they did, their casting implement would break on a natural 1 and they would critically hit on a natural 20 (and break whatever they hit).
With these rules in place I’ve observed that the party is very selective about their front line, their positioning, and where and when to engage.
All that said, the monk/mage question is a hypothetical for me, since I don’t have them. I would be open to revisions if something were truly broken or some very weird unintended consequence cropped up. But at first glance it seems okay. If you were a mage, you would NOT want to be hit. If you were fighting mages, you’d very much want to make sure you got to them first to avoid their artillery. And naturally, their well-armored bodyguards would be in your way.
LuisCarlos17f
Legend
My house rule is influenced by White Wolf's storytelling system and I use hit points and levels of health, like a subzero pool of hitpoints. Usually you never lose health levels but PC has zero hit points, or special attacks like poisons or life-drainer powers by creatures as vampires. The consumption of Con ability score is replaced by a loss of health level, suffering a permanent penalty until the health level is restored. Health levels are harder to be lost, but also to be recovered, like damage to Con consumption by undead monsters (diseases or poison).
DND_Reborn
The High Aldwin
We implemented our new system and it worked great:
Add CON score to HP at level one.
Damage Threshold = CON + Character Level
If HP falls below Damage Threshold you make a Concentration check to remain conscious. You take one level of exhaustion.
A critical hit automatically requires a Concentration check to remain conscious, regardless of HP.
At 0 HP, you fall unconscious and start making death saves.
Second Wind used immediately that round or the next (if your turn already went) removes the level of exhaustion.
Half-Orc Relentless can remove the need for the Concentration check once.
Lesser Restoration removes it.
A Long rest removes exhaustion (one level) as normal.
Great in big battle and all of us players like it, not much extra really to track. When we fell below damage threshold and made that first check, we became much more cautious of battle.
Add CON score to HP at level one.
Damage Threshold = CON + Character Level
If HP falls below Damage Threshold you make a Concentration check to remain conscious. You take one level of exhaustion.
A critical hit automatically requires a Concentration check to remain conscious, regardless of HP.
At 0 HP, you fall unconscious and start making death saves.
Second Wind used immediately that round or the next (if your turn already went) removes the level of exhaustion.
Half-Orc Relentless can remove the need for the Concentration check once.
Lesser Restoration removes it.
A Long rest removes exhaustion (one level) as normal.
Great in big battle and all of us players like it, not much extra really to track. When we fell below damage threshold and made that first check, we became much more cautious of battle.
TaranTheWanderer
Legend
Sleep should go right through those bonus hit points
DND_Reborn
The High Aldwin
Yeah, we already thought of that and decided is such spells/effects are enough to put you under your damage threshold, they take effect. Due to the fact that the damage threshold also includes your level, this does make sleep, etc. slightly more useful against PCs and NPCs/BBEGs who have a damage threshold, but no one had an issue with that.
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