D&D 5E I'm really hating Constitution right now

[Lost Soul]

There is nothing wrong with the Constitution score and it makes sense that people place an emphasis on it. Being physically fit would seem to make sense for people constantly walking, running, swimming, fighting and doing all of mundane chores requiring endurance and stamina

 

[Oofta]

There is nothing wrong with the Constitution score and it makes sense that people place an emphasis on it. Being physically fit would seem to make sense for people constantly walking, running, swimming, fighting and doing all of mundane chores requiring endurance and stamina

Not to mention sleeping in caves, carrying loot from distant caves back to town, running from dragons while carrying loot.

 

[Tony Vargas]

Nothing is wrong with the Constitution Stat except for ...the insidious idea that it's the DM's job to kill the players.

Valid point, CON is inflated in importance that much more the more the game presents as deadly/'realistic'/imbalanced and the DM as adversarial .

That idea that the DM is there to make a good-faith attempt on the PC's lives is ancient, going back to the old-school 'Killer DM' pathology, and paranoid, backstabbing style of play it engendered.

5e evokes the classic game so well, even to the point of seeming quite lethal at 1st level, that it'd be easy to slip into that mode.

 

[Krachek]

Hi ENWorld. In my last three games, encompassing 15 characters so far, 13/15 have started with a 14 Con (one started with a 16 and another started with a 12). 4 of those characters were brand new players to D&D (they've played wow and diablo and stuff where you don't choose ability scores the same).

I'm really hating how this limits character choices. In standard array, your 14 automatically goes in Con, unless you're a Dwarf. Hit Points are simply too important to all characters.

So, how could I fix this?

My first thought is to remove the +Con to HP per HD. Maybe I'll restructure things and add Con Score to HP at first level (especially if I go with WP/VP). Class HP per level could be raised to the full HD number (thus +2 HP for the d6s, 3 for the d8s, 4 for the d10s, and 5 for the d12). That might be a lot, but Con has been the second stat I've seen be raised to 20 after the attack stat.

Con should still apply to HD healing some how. Con should apply to Death Saves. An Endurance skill can be added to do some cool stuff. And Con applies to some environmental stuff like breathing; it could also apply to starvation and thirst too if those don't already call for Con saves. But would that be enough to make sure Con was balanced with the other stats?

I'm not saying Con isn't balanced with the other stats. It's the only stat that is balanced compared to Dex and your attack/spellcasting stat. But, it is never your weak stat, even if a Con of 8 could be balanced against a Dex of 8. Its such a nonchoice in my games that I feel the need to remove the choice.

What are your thoughts?


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I would randomize a little the score after they are assigned to abilities.
For example : You take the first and the second best abilities. You roll to make a variation of -1/+1, or +1/-1.
Then you go for the third and fourth best abilities.
It wont scrap a character, neither make it a monster, but it will add a taste of random.

Str 15,
Co 14,
Roll +1/-1
Become
Str 16,
Co 13,


Dex 13,
Wis 12,
Roll -1/+1
Become
Dex 12,
Wis 13,


Ch 10
Int 8
Roll -1/+1
Become
Ch 9
Int 9

 

[LapBandit]

I'm currently playing an 80 year old land druid with 5 con having a blast. Yes he is fragile, but risk is exciting! Not every character must be optimal

 

[Tony Vargas]

Oh, hey, you could take a page from the last Gamma World and have choice of class determine one stat (15) and race the other (14), then roll the rest on 3d6...

...OK, that might just get you a lotta dwarves...

 

[Kithas]

Not every character is 'optimal' but realistically as said above people adventuringwauld largelybe tough if theyre going to survive long. It's kinda like managing a baseball team and lamenting about everyone having such cood hand eye coordination.

 

[Saeviomagy]

Constitution 14 = +20 HP at Level 10, but also +2 HP per Hit Dice when short resting, for a total of +40 HP. That's 53% more HP on a Barbarian, and 95% more HP on a Wizard.

... assuming you use all your short rest dice. My experience has been that most members of the party don't, and taking a long rest is almost never predicated upon someone running out of HP.

 

[Xeviat]

Not every character is 'optimal' but realistically as said above people adventuringwauld largelybe tough if theyre going to survive long. It's kinda like managing a baseball team and lamenting about everyone having such cood hand eye coordination.

I'd say it be more like stocking your bench with 20 pitchers and no good hitters or fielders.


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[staticdrifter]

I'd say it be more like stocking your bench with 20 pitchers and no good hitters or fielders.


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That would be the players fault for not making a working party.

The point remains that Constitution is not a problem. The DM and Players are. Don't worry about "fixing" the stats, fix your style of play and DMing. Do the work. Get creative. Play the game!

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