D&D 4E Should hit points continue to be generated randomly in 4e?

[Li Shenron]

I dont know... I haven't decided myself what I prefer. On one side, rolling randomly creates unlucky characters, but on the other side it also gives a little variations between them.

Maybe it should be fixed for PC, and rolled for NPCs and monsters.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Part of the problem is that I don't want players to be able to look at an opponent and guess, with any degree of accuracy, how many HP he/she/it has. And trust me, I play with enough people who practically memorize the MM that this is a potential issue.

 

[delericho]

For the whole of the 3rd edition era, I never once rolled higher than a '1' for hit points for any PC I was actually using. It didn't take long for that to go from "mildly amusing" to "absolutely no fun at all". If a DM I am playing with insists on random rolls, then I will cheat on said rolls, that being the only case in which I will cheat in the game.

So, I'm definately in favour of an end to random hit points per level.

 

[Aloïsius]

Same as Mouseferatu
1d12= 6+1d6
1d10= 4+1d6
1d8 = 2+1d6
1d6 = 2+1d4
1d4 = 2+1d2

Rolling a dice and hoping for "the max" is fun. Playing a crippled character is not fun.

 

[Szatany]

Same as Mouseferatu
1d12= 6+1d6
1d10= 4+1d6
1d8 = 2+1d6
1d6 = 2+1d4
1d4 = 2+1d2

Rolling a dice and hoping for "the max" is fun. Playing a crippled character is not fun.

I could accept that - for the players. I want my monsters with generated hit points already. I've been GMing WFRP v2 where enemies have hit points in th range of 10-30 and the players knowing enemy's HP was never an issue.

 

[mmadsen]

What "random" hit points really do is provide a covert way for the PCs to be more powerful than opponents of the same level -- because players seem to roll remarkably high...

 

[mmadsen]

I think the more important issue is that hit points should move beyond measuring how hurt, or not hurt, a character is to something more abstract, which does not require healing, so we can move away from all the wacky implications of the current system.

 

[marune]

No random hit points and ability scores.

 

[Korgoth]

I don't understand this apparently Fordist desire to have everything cookie-cutter, standardized and rationalized.

Let's have some randomness and variety, please. I don't want them to balance the game into utter dreary predictability.

 

[Jhaelen]

Well, 3e has an optional rule for fixed hit points.

Yup, making this the default rule and random roles the optional one would be a move I'd like to see.

Rolling for hit points is the the only random part left in character advancement. Character creation no longer has any random part if you're using point buy (I think most do) since hp at level 1 are maxed. Players who consistently roll bad are at a great disadvantage.

Removing the randomness by using a smaller die plus a constant amount might work, too.

However: I have a feeling in 4th ed you'll start with a lot more hp than in previous editions. Let's say triple max hp. This is to make sure you'll start playing at the 'sweet spot'. Because of these higher base hit points the randomness of later rolls won't matter as much. Additionally, the hp gained per level will probably lower than in 3rd ed to make sure you'll stay longer in the 'sweet spot' level range.