toughness change

[Tywyll]

I've seen some people at various times suggest toughness be changed to something like +1 per level.

Has anyone used this and if so, was it all right or unbalanced or what?

I hate toughness as is, and am considering this varient. My main concern is that I was also considering using avg HP gain per level, and this feat would effectively increase a character's HD size by one if I use it (of course its effects on rolled hps are less dramatic).

 

[S'mon]

I've seen some people at various times suggest toughness be changed to something like +1 per level.

Has anyone used this and if so, was it all right or unbalanced or what?

I hate toughness as is, and am considering this varient. My main concern is that I was also considering using avg HP gain per level, and this feat would effectively increase a character's HD size by one if I use it (of course its effects on rolled hps are less dramatic).

+1/level is used in Neverwinter Nights & works ok. NB it can't be taken multiple times.

 

[Sertimon]

Hi Tywyll!

I personally think that it becomes to powerful. They used this mechanic in Neverwinter Nights and one could argue that it worked there. But I still find it too unbalanced. Nearly every wizard/sorcerer character will probably take it. Perhaps imposing a perquisite of Constitution 13+ or 15+ would help to balance it or restricting it to a max of +10 hit points.

I used to have another Toughness variant that instead of giving an additional +3 hit points, I let the players reroll once every level for hit points. I didn't really enjoy this change in the end, since every PC took the feat then ...

 

[Erekose]

I've not found a satisfactory suggestion for changing Toughness.

However, a variant of Sertimon's suggestion could be that all rolls of a "1" at each level up automatically become a "2". This takes the worst off the randomness of rolling for hit points.

The feat could be taken multiple times, each one stepping up the roll. i.e. with two feats of toughness any roll of 1 or 2 becomes a 3, etc.

It's unlikely that anyone would take the feat often enough to break it.

 

[Azure Trance]

In games I've played in, if a PC rolled a 1 for HP while gaining a level they were allowed to roll again (I mean, really ... 1's do suck ...)

I personally like the Toughness of +1/level with Con Req of 13+

 

[Nifft]

Here's how I work it:

Toughness grants 1 HP + your base Fort save

So, Fighters et al. get a total of +3 HP at first level up to +13 HP at 20th level. Sorcerers get +1 HP at first level, up to +8 HP at 20th level. You can take it multiple times, and it stacks.

-- Nifft

 

[Azure Trance]

That's a new one. I take that you got rid of Dwarven and Giants toughness then?

 

[VirtualWizard]

I've used the Toughness variant with no game breaking results. I especially like it for villians because they have more staying power

 

[Nifft]

That's a new one. I take that you got rid of Dwarven and Giants toughness then?

I don't see those in the PHB...

-- Nifft

 

[haiiro]

I swapped Toughness out for Sturdy, from Arcana Unearthed -- Sturdy rocks, and it's everything that Toughness should have been.