How do temporary hit points work?

[Destil]

It's less useful if you never get hit. In which case I'd say your DM isn't being as inventive as they should be with encounters... You should at least expect to eat some area attacks from time to time. Also damage just doesn't scale as fast in 4E as previous editions, especially monster damage.

And when it does come into play it'll save your wizard HP ass.

Still, if you really don't like it consider asking the DM to allow you to fiddle with your stats a bit and pick up the Cha based ability instead. Just don't whine when some elite/solo lurker comes out of nowhere, takes a huge bite of your HP, then spends an action point and does it again.

 

[Dice4Hire]

Even if htey do not stack, Temporary hit points are gold. My War Chanter (actually a sorceror, but with the bard PP) hands out 9 temp hp to an ally who bloodies or kills an enemy, and I get the same myslef. Wehn I bloody/kill, I hand out 8 to any ally nearby.

Those temp hit points (usually tossed on the defender) usually equal a healing surge or two every combat. They are incredibly useful.

 

[Holy Bovine]

Even if htey do not stack, Temporary hit points are gold. My War Chanter (actually a sorceror, but with the bard PP) hands out 9 temp hp to an ally who bloodies or kills an enemy, and I get the same myslef. Wehn I bloody/kill, I hand out 8 to any ally nearby.

Those temp hit points (usually tossed on the defender) usually equal a healing surge or two every combat. They are incredibly useful.

Yup - I agree. Our warlord in one group hands out temp hp like crazy and the PCs always seem to have a few. I also remember them saving my Barbarian character on more than one occasion. I think of them as damage reduction.