How Do You Determine HP?

[S'mon]

I'm going with maximum at first then average-plus-one (or "high average") for my new games, eg Fighter gets 10 at 1st then 6/level. Or they can roll if they prefer. NPCs get average-plus-one at all levels.

 

[The Druid Merlin]

I came up with an idea after the last thread on HPs.

d4 (1-4) = d3+1 (2-4)

d6 (1-6) = d4+2 (3-6)

d8 (1-8) = d6+2 (3-8)

d10 (1-10) = d6+4 (5-10)

d12 (1-12) = d8+4 (5-12)

Same maximum HP as the core, but each dice is loaded with a minimum that fits with the class. Fighters and Barbarians will always have the highest HPs, with the barbarian always averaging a little more, especially when raging. Wizards will always be the weakest, with Rogues slightly but consistantly stronger. Clerics will be more robust on average than both these, but could be a little low, representing the potential scholarly Cleric. With Fighters having a 2 point higher min and max, the won't likely be outshined by the Cleric, as could occasionaly happen as the rules stand.

Mostly I agree with you. But their are three problems I had with your post. One you spelled 'consistently' wong, two you spelled 'occasionally' wong and three the word 'the' should have been 'they' in 'they won't likely be outshined'.

 

[Psimancer]

We keep it simple; max at first, average rounded-up every level after that (d4=3,d6=4,d8=5,d10=6,d12=7).

I give the option to roll, but nobody ever does...



.

 

[SteveC]

So, how DO you determine HP when you level up?
Curious. Just curious.

I'm running two different campaigns, which use two different sets of HP rules.

The first is: roll all of your Hit Dice every time you level, but your base Hit Points always increase by at least one. Characters still get maximum Hit Points at first level.

Example: a first level fighter receives 10 Hit Points plus their Con bonus. When they hit second level, they roll 2D10. Their new basic Hit Point total is either what they roll, or 11, whichever is higher. The character then adds the bonus from constitution twice to get their total Hit Points.

This system has the effect of gradually bringing characters to average hit points, but still has a random rolling element that, well, it just seems to be a part of D&D.

The second game is much closer to core rules--this is just about the only exception to the rules as a matter of fact. In this game we use maximum Hit Points at first level, and 2/3's max from then on.

That gives the following:
D4 3
D6 4
D8 5
D10 7
D12 8

Players seem to like this, since it gives a little bump to D10 and D12 characters that sometimes gets lost in the straight average system.

 

[GlassJaw]

I made this method and all my players seem to like it:

Max hp's at 1st level. After that, choose one of the following:

- Take the median +1 of the hit die in question: 7 for d12, 6 for d10, 5 for d8, 4 for d6, 3 for d4,
or
- Roll using one lower die and add 2 to the number: 1d10+2 for d12, 1d8+2 for d10, 1d6+2 for d8, or 1d4+2 for d6. d4 must roll as normal.

 

[reanjr]

I always though it was ludicrous that your HP, perhaps the most important stat in the game, the one that keeps you going, keeps you alive, that forces you to always be trying to make friends with people who want to play frickin' clerics, is RANDOMLY DETERMINED at each level.

Yeah, I agree. Especially after Wizards altering so many 2e system due to the explanation that a class's primary ability should not fail randomly.

Next campaign, I'm doing max HP each level. Anyone have any experience with this? Hard to balance things (though I guess you could just give max HP to all the monsters too)?

You either have to do the same for monsters or lower the CR for them by at least 1.

My players just roll the dice and take what's coming to them. For 2nd-4th level (or thereabouts) I might let them take a second roll, but they gotta keep the second roll no matter what. I always point out to them before they roll the first time that they can just take average -0.5. That optional rule just doesn't get used enough. I almost always do that for 2nd-5th level for my characters. Rolling a 1 can kill you at those levels.

Oh, and when creating characters that start at higher than 1st level, I'll usually allow them to take the overall average (rounded down). This works out a bit better than the optional system in the DMG.

 

[reanjr]

Here's my system, the players like it. Whatever your die type for your current class, roll that die, and each lower die type, down to the minimum of one-half per level. Here's what I mean.

d12 = roll d12, d10, d8, take best roll, your minimum is 6.
d10 = roll d10, d8, d6, take best roll, your minimun is 5.
d8 = roll d8, d6, take best roll, your minimum is 4.
d6 = roll d6, d4, take best roll, your minimum is 3.
d4 = roll d4, d3, take best roll, your minimum is 2.

We've always used some random method for generating hit points, and everyone hates it when they get really low rolls (especially for 2 levels in a row). So, I use this one and my players think they're getting a great deal. Of course, I use it for the monsters too . . . .

Dave

That reminds me of a system I used a long time back that worked out really well. I'd simply allow you to reroll as many times as you wanted, but each time was a lower die. d12 come up a 4? Well, you could try your hand at a d10 with an average of 5.5. Ooh. That one only came up a 3. That sucks. You can try a d8. A 3 again, damn. d6 is a bit better than that on average, might be worth trying it out. Man, another 3. Oh well. I guess the gods have ordained a 3 (three in a row). Well, yeah, you could try a d4, but the odds are you'll get less. Yeah, you COULD get higher, but... Oh man, this is not your day. A 1. Well, now you might as well roll a d3; you can't do any worse. But, you can get the same result as you just did. d2 time it is!! Hey, a 2!! Great!! That's much better than your original 4!! Ow!! No need to get violent...

 

[tauton_ikhnos]

Next campaign, I'm doing max HP each level. Anyone have any experience with this? Hard to balance things (though I guess you could just give max HP to all the monsters too)?

We do max hp. For monsters, I do avg hp (for run-of-the-mill, healthy examples of the creature), 3/4 hp (for tough creatures) and max hp (for the idealized creature). We also treat cure spells as maximized (i.e., a 5th level cleric using CLW will heal 13 damage).

Then I just subtract -1 CR/EL from creatures (unless they have max hit points) and it seems to work just fine.

 

[HellHound]

We do random determination, with option to re-roll, but you take the result of the re-roll regardless of how much it may suck.

 

[DreamChaser]

A friend of mine turned me on to the system I currently use. You get half of you hp for your HD free, then roll the other half. You end up the the above average side but don't necessarily get full hp. Any fractions are rounded down.

It works out as follows

d12 = 6 + 1d12/2 (for +0 to +6)
d10 = 5 + or 1d10/2
d8 = 4 + 1d8/2
d6 = 3 + or 1d6/2
d4 = 2 + or 1d4/2

It has worked pretty well so far. No one sucks but you're not necessarily gonna be a god.

DC