Of Hit Points and Constitution

[Firebeetle]

Three rules I am considering-

1.) Hit points are rolled using three dice and choosing the best one. This roll is too important and momentous for just one die.
2.) Constitution bonus is added to every healing attempt that is greater than one point, including both natural and magical healing. Makes Constitution a much more important attribute.
3.) Staggered range is now from 0 to negative (character level), thus a 5th level character is staggered through -5 hit points and drops dying on -6. Negative (constitution score) is the threshold where characters die. Yes, higher level characters will continue to fight beyond that threshold. A 13th level character whose CON is 12 will still fight at -13. When the combat is over, characters who have fought beyond their threshold automatically die. This leads to heroic scenes where characters fight to the death.

Comments? Feedback?

 

[Bladesong]

Our group played around with this a bit. I will tell you what we tried an where we are now and why. It might be a little long...
1.) Starting hp were (and still are) equal to your Con ability score. So if your CON is 14, your starting hit points are 14. At second level you received max hps, so using the same character score as before a 2nd level fighter would get 12 hps (10 for class, 2 for Con). At third level you took your roll or half your die type, which ever was higher. Using same character, if he rolled a 1 he would automatically receive 7 hps (5 for half his die, 2 for Con). From then on you took your roll as is. Now your Con is still your starting hps but you get 3/4 your hit die plus Con bonus every level after that.
2.) We did this with natural healing only and still use this method. For magical healing we just said that spells cast in camp were maxed out and spells in combat (or other action) were still random. Currently magical healing is now just a set amount: cure light=15, cure mod=25, cure serious=40 and cure critical=50.
3.) We tried variations on this: staggered 0-half your Con ability, dying from half your Con until your negative Con at which you were dead (same character as before: staggered from 0 to -7 dead at -14. Staggered from 0 to your negative Con bonus, dead at your negative Con (same character: staggered 0 to -2 dead at -14). We currently use staggered at 0, dying from -1 to -Con (same character: staggered 0, dead at -14). The reason we changed back was because we figured that however many hit points you have total (rolled plus Con bonus) already reflects how much punishment you can take. Let's face it, if you have a 14 Con you have already been getting 2 extra hitpoints every level, so even though 0 sounds the same for everyone it really is not. For example, the 10th level wizard lost 40 hps to get there, the fighter lost 100 (I hope that is clear enough). In addition, the feat Die Hard would be useless as every one could keep going.

The only other thing we have done differently here is that your percentage chance to stabilize was equal to your Con score instead of a flat 10% (same character as before would have a 14% chance to stabilize rather than 10%). Currently we the stabilization chance is equal to your Con score plus your max hit die (so the fighter we have been using has a 24% chance to stabilize every round; 14 for Con + 10 for hit die type).

Just as a side note, although step 2 above sounds/looks easy to me most of the players kept struggling with it, so it was just easier to drop it all together execept for death at -Con instead of -10 (they seem to grasp that ok).

In any case, good luck with it.

 

[ValhallaGH]

1.) Hit points are rolled using three dice and choosing the best one. This roll is too important and momentous for just one die.

Have you considered simply modifying the die types? Using a 'standard' size of die with modifiers dependant upon class?
For example: 1d12 becomes 1d4+8 (+ Con mod)
1d10 becomes 1d4+6 (+ Con mod)
1d8 becomes 1d4+4 (+ Con mod)
1d6 becomes 1d4+2 (+ Con mod)
1d4 stays 1d4 (+ Con mod)
Same maximums, (generally) better averages and it ensures that a 12th level barbarian will always have more hp than a 12th level sorcerer or commoner.

Another option is to follow the guidelines used in the various Living games, and what the DMG recomends for NPC generation, where every character gains a static number of HP at each level, number dependant upon die type.

And, of course, there is the option you chose of rolling multiple dice and taking the highest. Which has the difficulty of being able to roll all 1's (unlikely as it may be).

 

[frankthedm]

1.) Hit points are rolled using three dice and choosing the best one. This roll is too important and momentous for just one die.
If HP are that importan just let players take the high average or even 3/4ths of thier hit die. Rolling bad on a hit die sucks, but at least someone else does so as well so you are not alone in sucksville. That varient ensure the one person who rolls bad is really the odd man out.

high average is 1d4=3, 1d6=4, 1d8=5, 1d10=6 1d12=7
3/4ths is 1d4=3, 1d6=5, 1d8=6, 1d10=8 1d12=9

2.) Constitution bonus is added to every healing attempt that is greater than one point, including both natural and magical healing. Makes Constitution a much more important attribute.
Con is really important anyhow. Way too vital to have a cleric whith this varient.

3.) Staggered range is now from 0 to negative (character level), thus a 5th level character is staggered through -5 hit points and drops dying on -6. Negative (constitution score) is the threshold where characters die. Yes, higher level characters will continue to fight beyond that threshold. A 13th level character whose CON is 12 will still fight at -13. When the combat is over, characters who have fought beyond their threshold automatically die. This leads to heroic scenes where characters fight to the death.
This is really cool if "fought beyond their threshold" means the die even if healed after they hit the point of no return.