Temporary Hit Points

[Regicide]

I believe that using the same power multiple times counts as more than one "source."

Would that not then make that rule meaningless? Could you provide an example of gaining temporary HPs from the same source?

 

[Selganor]

Same sources don't add (as always), but on p. 294 - where Temporary HP are defined - you are told that even if they come from different sources you don't add them, you just take the highest number.

So if someone with 2 temporary hp gets 1 temp hp from another source he would still have 2, but if he gets 3 from yet another source he would have 3 (not 5).

Just think of them as a bonus to hitpoints named "temporary"

 

[Regicide]

Same sources don't add (as always), but on p. 294 - where Temporary HP are defined - you are told that even if they come from different sources you don't add them, you just take the highest number.

It explicitly says temp hp from DIFFERENT sources don't stack. Although I think your interpretation is correct, that tHP from ANY source don't stack, the rule is written so bloody poorly that there is some doubt. I really have to scratch my head that a professional product could have this many errors and be this poorly written. Have they taken another page from Blizzard and we're going to suffer a year of patching and re-patching with the paladin being a striker one day, a healer the next and a tank the day after?

 

[DreamChaser]

It explicitly says temp hp from DIFFERENT sources don't stack. Although I think your interpretation is correct, that tHP from ANY source don't stack, the rule is written so bloody poorly that there is some doubt. I really have to scratch my head that a professional product could have this many errors and be this poorly written. Have they taken another page from Blizzard and we're going to suffer a year of patching and re-patching with the paladin being a striker one day, a healer the next and a tank the day after?

i'm gonna eye roll at this statement (imagine eye roll here since there is no emoticon for that); though I respect the posters right to the opinion I find the opinion itself to be harsh, judgmental, and disrespectful to the professionals who worked to produce the books.

Very few other books (other than a gaming book) have such level of internal reflexive references. When something on page 243 is changed, it may affect nothing or it could affect 35 different areas of 3 books. They do their best. Now compare these books to most school text books (another type of book that has intensive internal reflexive referencing) and you'll generally find that such typos are just as or far more common. Ach...I remember studying for my Ed degree and taking a class that was basically a textbook review...it was appalling what was considered "accurate" and "professional" work for use in public school classrooms.


Back on topic: There is a logical and syntactic error in assuming that the statement "Temp hp from different sources don't stack," in any way implies anything about temp hp from same sources. It doesn't. You cannot generalize from a negative premise.

Regardless, the rule does not even say that. What it says is:

If you get temporary hit points from different sources, use the higher value as your temporary hit point total instead of adding the values together.

DC

 

[Shadeydm]

The 4E PHB seems to try to be as clear and non-wordy as possible, so I think it is pretty clear that if the designers didn't want temporary hit points to stack for any reason, that is what they would have written, ie, "Temporary hit points do not stack." However, they went out of their way to point out that temp hps from different sources do not stack, which means that temp hps from the same source do stack. I think most temp hps are from encounter powers, so there is not a lot to worry about with some huge reservoir of temp hps. Paladins will be able to have a sort of DR, but they only earn that protection via successful hits, so any round they miss, are moved too far away to even attack or are immobilized or otherwise prevented from attacking, they lose the chance to add more.

 

[Doomhawk]

Could you provide an example of gaining temporary HPs from the same source?

A level 7 Infernal warlock with Improved Dark One's Blessing curses and then kills an enemy. His pact boon grants him 7 temporary hit points, and an additional 3 temporary hit points, for a total of 10. If temporary hit points never added together, he'd only get 7 (the higher value), and the feat as written would be worthless from 3rd level on.

 

[Boco]

The 4E PHB seems to try to be as clear and non-wordy as possible, so I think it is pretty clear that if the designers didn't want temporary hit points to stack for any reason, that is what they would have written, ie, "Temporary hit points do not stack." However, they went out of their way to point out that temp hps from different sources do not stack, which means that temp hps from the same source do stack.

If temp HP from the same source didn't stack, you could only have 1 of it. HP is usually plural, remember?

 

[Snotboy]

also if the pally has 30hp normally, he is bloodied at 15hp, if he gain 3 temp hit points, is he still bloodied?

I actually think this is a good question. I would say yes--temporary hit points are typically representative of a shield or buffer for the character, and are not intrinsic to the subject's actual well-being. They're not healing either. Once combat is over, they go away--and it's not like the subject would pop up hurt again.

 

[Arakim]

I'm surpised this is an issue.

Temp HP do not stack. If you recieve 10 hp from one source and 8 from another you still have 10 temp HP.

If an infernal warlock uses a rod of corruption and kills 7 guys he doesn't recieve 70 hp. He recieves 10.

 

[Atzilla]

A level 7 Infernal warlock with Improved Dark One's Blessing curses and then kills an enemy. His pact boon grants him 7 temporary hit points, and an additional 3 temporary hit points, for a total of 10. If temporary hit points never added together, he'd only get 7 (the higher value), and the feat as written would be worthless from 3rd level on.

Improved Dark Ones Blessing gives you explicitly 3 additional THP through your dark ones blessing.