Leveling, HP, and the Rage ability

[adndgamer]

If you're a barbarian who's raging, and you gain a level, do you apply your raging constitution score to your HP, or your normal? This might be a dumb question, but I would like to be able to clear that up to one of my players.

 

[Cor Azer]

Umm... Raging only lasts for rounds. Is the character leveling in the middle of combat?

Not that it really matters I guess. Technically, yes, the improved Constitution from raging does affect the character's hit points from leveling, but when his rage ends they return to what they would be with his regular Constitution.

 

[Ketjak]

If you're a barbarian who's raging, and you gain a level, do you apply your raging constitution score to your HP, or your normal? This might be a dumb question, but I would like to be able to clear that up to one of my players.

Do you mean to say this barbarian levels in the few rounds he's raging? Wow, that's cool. I'd never allow it unless it straddled a session break.

Regardless - Constitution bonuses are dynamic and affect your HP based on your current Constitution. When your Con adjusts up or down, so do your HP adjust: + or - 1 HP per hit die depending on whether and how much your Con increases or decreases, with a minimum HP per hit die of 1 point.

Example: an elite BBN1 Con 14 rages (gains +4 CON, and therefore 2 HP). While raging, he goes up to BBN2. He rolls the d12 hit die, gets a result of 7, and adds 11 (7 + 4) HP to his 16 (12+4) for 27 altogether. Assume he's not injured.

At the end of his rage, his Con returns to normal. His HP total drops to 23 (7+2 for Con 14 added to 12+2 for Con 14).

- Ketjak

 

[adndgamer]

D'oh! What was I thinking? I forgot all about how your HP is dynamic and will fluxuate with your Con, not just at the time of levelling.

Thanks, both of you