How does your group handle a character's Hit Points?

[Kealios]

My players roll the Hit Die, and always take at least half (ie 1d8 = 4 or more). Seems like my way is actually common, based on the posts on here...

Kealios

 

[MacMathan]

I voted "Other"

We use one of two methods in my current campaigns.

In the first we use "yours or mine?" basically the DM rolls the same HD behind his screen and you can choose to take your roll or gamble on his.

In the second it is rolled as normal but the minimum for each level is high average for the given HD.

 

[EvilGM]

1st level = max hp
2nd level = reroll any die that results in less than half max hp roll
3rd level = reroll 1s
4th level+ = normal roll

 

[MonsterMash]

I use max points at 1st level (max of die roll + bonuses) then die roll + bonuses (rerolling 1s) at second, then onto straight die rolls +bonuses thereafter.

 

[jeffh]

Roll, take 1/2 max if lower

Same here, and in my next game, I will extend this to Con penalties - if you're rolling a D8, you always get at least 4 hp per level even if a Con penalty would normally force your total lower.

The GM of the game I used to play in preferred to have you reroll all your hit dice every level, you take the new total or your previous hit point total +1, whichever is better. This lets players roll big handfuls of dice every so often, and should generally prevent anyone from being stuck with below-average HP for any length of time.

 

[argo]

You roll and the DM rolls and you take the higher of the two, no guessing game involved. This usually results in above-average rolls but still allows the possibility of on ore two bad levels.

The other method I have considered is to roll but with a minimum of 1/2 your hit die.

Hit points are too important to be left totally to chance.

 

[Ferret]

I do max hp at first then re-roll on one.

 

[Sammael]

Roll once or take average. Spend a fate point to re-roll.

 

[Thanee]

Every class rolls 1d4-1. This is subtracted from the maximum for their class. The idea is that the hit die becomes more of a reliable class feature so the barbarian doesn't get stuck with less hit points than the rogue by random accident.

This method favors high hit dice to an extreme extent (since it raises the average by 1 per step).

A wizard has a straight d4 roll, while a barbarian has a d4+8. If both roll bad, the wizard is unplayable and the barbarian still way above average in hit points!

This doesn't seem right!

Bye
Thanee

 

[Thanee]

Classes with a hit die of d4 do not roll one lower die and add 2 to the number. If they choose to roll, they use a normal d4.

You people don't like wizards, eh?

What's wrong with a d2+2 with that method?

Bye
Thanee