D&D 5E Minimum hit points and damage?

[Paraxis]

This topic was brought up in another forum group and wanted to talk about it here, since I like the community here a bit more.

Nowhere in the books it seems is there ever a minimum for hit points gained with level or recovered with spending hit dice after a short rest. There is also no minimum for damage dealt.

So to get the silly out of the way it seems if you roll for ability scores and have say a 7 (-2) Con score, and you roll for hit points then it appears you can lose hit points on level up. It also seems you can spend a hit die and get a negative number losing hit points at the end of your short rest.

Even more silly would be the notion of having a 7 Str score and do -1 points of damage with an unarmed strike, giving the target back hit points.

I bring the silly up to just get them out of the way.

Should the minimum be 1 or 0, I plan on using 1. So if you gain a level you would always gain hit points, if you spend hit dice to recover you always recover at least 1, and if you hit in combat you always do at least 1 point of damage.

It is surprising to me that this was left out of the rules, and maybe the intent is the minimum to be 0, but we don't know for sure. There is no way they meant for negative hit point gains, or slapping your allies to give them hit points back.

 

[Boarstorm]

I would go with a minimum of 1 for hit point gain/hit dice use, but a minimum of 0 for damage.

I don't really have a reason, it's just what feels right to me.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

I usually do a minimum of 1 on dice rolls.

 

[exedore6]

I would go with a minimum of 1 for hit point gain/hit dice use, but a minimum of 0 for damage.

I don't really have a reason, it's just what feels right to me.

I'd do minimum 1 for any hit. (We've already got a thing for an attack that does 0 damage -- a miss)

Also, miniumum 1 hit point for level (Though I don't have a solid reason why I think this should be true, file under feels right.)

 

[Plaguescarred]

I usually use a minimum of 1 for HP or damage

 

[Piratecat]

One more vote for a minimum of 1 on either.

Side story: in 1e, I watched my best friend roll up a PC with the stats 18, 17, 16, 16, 14, 4. It was that last 4 that was the killer. He put it in Con, and his elven wizard suddenly had a lot in common with Elric. 1-2 hp max per level caused him to protect his health with everything he had. It still wasn't enough; he died when his own lightning bolt bounced off a stone wall, frying him where he stood.

So, yeah, 1 hp min per die roll. I would hate to think of him if it's been zero!

 

[GX.Sigma]

In the absence of a specific rule, a minimum of 0 is implied (you can't "increase your maximum hit points by -1," but you can "deal 0 damage"). However, I believe it's more likely that they meant for a minimum 1, and forgot to put it in the book.

 

[Astrosicebear]

Its not in the basic rules, i'd have to check my book at home. Although levels after first the AVG is assumed.

As a house rule I always rule roll hit points but take AVG if your roll is lower.

 

[The_Gneech]

"A successful hit always does at least 1 point of damage" was explicit in 3.x, and I think it's a good guideline.

-TG

 

[Astrosicebear]

"A successful hit always does at least 1 point of damage" was explicit in 3.x, and I think it's a good guideline.

-TG

Correct. Unless reduced by something after the fact, such as damage reduction or resistances.