Max HP at 1st level. Every level thereafter, either roll twice and take the highest number, or else automatic 75% of max value. Second option is best for wizards and sorcerers (receive 3 out of 4 HP); players who play warrior classes tend to like the former option. Since I always roll low when it comes to HP, I always opt for the latter option, if its available.
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Hit points: High side, average, straight roll, what?
- Thread starter blargney the second
- Start date
jgbrowning
Hero
Max at 1st.
Roll for others.
1d8 classes reroll on a 1.
1d10 classes reroll on 1-2.
1d12 classes reroll on 1-3.
joe b.
Roll for others.
1d8 classes reroll on a 1.
1d10 classes reroll on 1-2.
1d12 classes reroll on 1-3.
joe b.
ForceUser
Explorer
Max at 1st.
"As the die lies" every level thereafter. Low hit points? Tough. Deal with it. There's plenty of magic items, spells & feats that boost a character's durability, and to use any other method of hps (except taking the average) devalues & skews the entire D&D system, from CRs to magic items to evocation spells. Besides, even high hit point characters can easily die, as evidenced by the 130-hp 11th-level fighter in my old campaign who died in two rounds of single combat verses the CR 9 stone giant chieftain. Hit points are important, but less important than fighting intelligently.
"As the die lies" every level thereafter. Low hit points? Tough. Deal with it. There's plenty of magic items, spells & feats that boost a character's durability, and to use any other method of hps (except taking the average) devalues & skews the entire D&D system, from CRs to magic items to evocation spells. Besides, even high hit point characters can easily die, as evidenced by the 130-hp 11th-level fighter in my old campaign who died in two rounds of single combat verses the CR 9 stone giant chieftain. Hit points are important, but less important than fighting intelligently.
Last edited:
Faerl'Elghinn
First Post
Ogre Mage said:
What do you mean, "craptastic"!?! Toughness rocks!! If you take it at every third level, it's like having +2 con!!! Of course, you'd probably suck otherwise, but you'd have a slightly higher hit point total than many other characters of your level!! How is that not broken?
Seriously, though- it's so wierd to see the term "broken" used in reference to D&D. I had never even heard it used to describe something exceptionally powerful until I started playing Magic (3 years ago), and now I see it everywhere...
diaglo said:
God bless diaglo! Sometimes (even as a player), I LIKE having low hp (although not necessarily 1 hp!). It encourages roll play, caution and tactical skills. Hell, if all of your players have max hp at every level, toughness, improved toughness and strong constitutions, they'll have 100 hp at level 6 or 7. It would be pretty hard to challenge them and all of the CRs would be askew if the players average twice as many hp as the monsters of their CR
When I DM, I use average per die rounded up. This is quicker for me to calculate or check than a pure average and it is only an extra half hitpoint per level higher than the true average. That seems unlikely to skew any CR/EL calculations any more than two 2nd level fighters one with 11 hit points and one with 20.
When forced to roll for hit points, I like the method: roll three times and throw out the high and low. Keeps the same average and removes much of the wild swings. Also, using d4, d4+1, d4+2, d4+3, etc. instead of d4, d6, d8, works as well.
When forced to roll for hit points, I like the method: roll three times and throw out the high and low. Keeps the same average and removes much of the wild swings. Also, using d4, d4+1, d4+2, d4+3, etc. instead of d4, d6, d8, works as well.
Take the average (rounded up). As an added bonus, it makes Toughness a genuinely good feat -- you take it to get something more, not make up for a random roll that gave you something less.
Of course, I also prefer Point Buy (between 25 and 30, depending on the heroism level of the campaign)...
Of course, I also prefer Point Buy (between 25 and 30, depending on the heroism level of the campaign)...
Faerl'Elghinn
First Post
How about this: d3+1, d4+2, d5+3, d6+4, 2d4+4...?
That way, you'd never be able to roll lower than average, while still maintaining a fairly significant element of randomness. Seems like a fairly good system to me... I think I'll use it.
That way, you'd never be able to roll lower than average, while still maintaining a fairly significant element of randomness. Seems like a fairly good system to me... I think I'll use it.
Goblyn
Explorer
To play Devil's advocate ...
This may not have the most to do with rolling HP, but I'd like to point out that it is sometimes quite fun to play a low HP character. I had an Ubese scoundrel(SW d20) with a Con of 2. THe possibility of death around every corner, hell, BECAUSE of every corner he was rather fun to play. Surprisingly, he made it to level 3 before we stopped playing.
Sorry for the hijack. I voted "Roll and see what you get", not because that is our preference, but because it had never occurred to any of us to roll HP differently.
This may not have the most to do with rolling HP, but I'd like to point out that it is sometimes quite fun to play a low HP character. I had an Ubese scoundrel(SW d20) with a Con of 2. THe possibility of death around every corner, hell, BECAUSE of every corner he was rather fun to play. Surprisingly, he made it to level 3 before we stopped playing.
Sorry for the hijack. I voted "Roll and see what you get", not because that is our preference, but because it had never occurred to any of us to roll HP differently.
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