How do you handle rolling for HP?

Drowbane said:
Last few sessions we have started averaging out damage rolls too. Speeds things up... rolling 20d6 can be a pain in the rear with multiple blasters.
Epic Level Handbook, pg. 108. Crucial for saving time not rolling damage. It's been years since I have used it, but I still have the page number memorized.
 

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KingCrab said:
Does anyone use the rules exactly as written for rolling hp (past 1st level)? I'm talking bout one roll without rerolls, so if your fighter happens to get two 1s at levels 2 and 3 you got yourself a fighter with 12 hp (plus possibly the con bonus). This seems exceptionally cruel since hp are so important and early low rolls can ruin a character.

Indeed.

What do you do in your games?

When you roll below half your HD, you get half your HD instead. Best HP rolling method available, IMHO. :D

Bye
Thanee
 

Another in the "you get what you roll camp". I have had PCs with really low hit points and some with really high ones so it is not just a a DM that I've experienced it.
 

No houserule.

However, I considered expanding the retraining rules from PHB2 to add an option to reroll or increase the hp you gained at a certain level.

It's never been necessary to use it, though. Even the player with the most consistent bad luck with rolling hp managed to even things out after 8 levels.
 

I was doing player rolls, DM rolls in secret. Player can chose which die they want. Works good for keeping from minimum, but for 3rd level I was on a streak only rolling 1s and 2s. People just a bit below average were asking for the DM roll. It wasn't pretty. Primary tank in the party has 15hp at 3rd level (HD 3d8)

Cheers,
=Blue(23)
 

I do not like randomisation for aspects of your character that will affect him or her for their entire career.

That is why I always opt for point buy and go for average hp.
 

My system is a little convoluted but it gives the players a number of options. At 1st Level PC's get max HP's as per the PHB.

After that players have a choice. They can either roll or take the average rounded down (i.e. d12 = 6HP, d10 = 5HP, etc.,).

If they decide to roll they can then either take the result or roll with one dice smaller. (i.e. A player is playing a Barbarian. He rolls a 3 for his HP's. He can either take the 3 or roll a d10 instead. If he chooses to roll a d10 and gets a 1 he can then choose to roll a d8 and so forth.)

I have found that this avoids the situation where the Fighter keeps rolling 1's for hit points. It also generally results in the higher hit die character classes rolling more for hit point on average. Having said that I did have a Fighter who kept rolling low and ended up with a 3 on a d4 roll.

Olaf the Stout
 

Ours goes something like this:

You roll the a dice as per level your taking if you roll below a certain
number than you get a hp's as per following chart.

1d4 = 2 (player rolled a 1)
1d6 = 2 (player rolled a 1)
1d8 = 3 (player rolled a 1 or 2)
1d10 = 4 (player rolled a 1, 2 or 3)
1d12 = 5 (player rolled a 1,2, 3 or 4)

1d6 probably should be 2.5 (maybe we should just add a few more hits point :))

The players end up getting a better than average in the long run. Still Con is important.
Eliminates the chance of a character rolling very poorly.


KingCrab said:
Does anyone use the rules exactly as written for rolling hp (past 1st level)? I'm talking bout one roll without rerolls, so if your fighter happens to get two 1s at levels 2 and 3 you got yourself a fighter with 12 hp (plus possibly the con bonus). This seems exceptionally cruel since hp are so important and early low rolls can ruin a character.

I've been doing 75% round up. I've heard of people houseruling all sorts of things. What do you do in your games?
 



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