Variable HP for monsters

[UngeheuerLich]

IMHO, if PCs roll their hp, monsters should also do so.
Not that they shhould have wildly different statistics, but imagine the kobolds in the adventure have 1d4 hp instead of 2.

This way:

- MM is not always an autokill
- Slayer benefit is not always an autokill

Higher level monsters:

Orcs with 2d10 hp could partly be affected with a sleep spell.
Eite kobolds (4d4hp) could sometimes resist a sleep spell.
It makes combat a little bit more unpredictable and even using auto damage attacks are not always autokills.

 

[GX.Sigma]

I agree; it always felt like Hit Dice was more of a monster mechanic than a player mechanic. I'm not sure why they brought it back just for player characters.

I expect this has to do with the monsters being the least finished part of the playtest rules.

 

[fba827]

while i agree in theory (i like variety such that every creature/encounter is not 100% predictable), i wouldn't actually do this in practice in my own game - specifically because it adds more prep work for the DM (rolling hp for everyone).
If it's one or two enemies no big deal. but when you get to the swarm-level of creatures, like the kobolds and goblins, it is just a lot of rolling to do when setting up the scenario.

 

[jadrax]

while i agree in theory (i like variety such that every creature/encounter is not 100% predictable), i wouldn't actually do this in practice in my own game - specifically because it adds more prep work for the DM (rolling hp for everyone).
If it's one or two enemies no big deal. but when you get to the swarm-level of creatures, like the kobolds and goblins, it is just a lot of rolling to do when setting up the scenario.

yeah, its one of those odd places where I really want to see Hit Dice for Monsters for tradition, but will actually ignore them and take the average pretty much every time.

 

[IronWolf]

Yeah, using hit dice for the monsters instead of a flat HP value would be good. Just list it something like this:

hp 15 (2d10+4)

Then for DMs that want ease of use just use the default HP listed. If you want randomness then roll the HP or ratchet up or down as needed.

I do that all the time in 3.x/PF. Ratchet the HP up a bit here and there to give the critter a chance to stand a bit longer or even ratchet down to make a few weaker ones to go down a little faster.

Listing it like I noted above gives everyone flexibility.

 

[howandwhy99]

IMHO, if PCs roll their hp, monsters should also do so.

Totally agree. That's part of my adventure prep. 1d6 Goblins of 1d4 hit points each. It's not hard (1, 1, 3, 4) Ability scores can be rolled as necessary, though I use different dice schemes for different monsters (humans are 3d6).

I mean, a huge reason for bringing variable HP back is so players might understand that it applies to monsters too. Except now CON looks like a racial stat and Hit Die looks like a class one.

 

[AeroDm]

I have no problem with monsters rolling HP but it isn't going to matter that often because damage is random. The variability that you want (some monsters take one hit, some two, and some three) is already in the game and only in niche cases will rolling monster HP add more variety. Given that, I'm not sure it is worth expanding the stat blocks to accommodate those niche cases.

 

[IronWolf]

I have no problem with monsters rolling HP but it isn't going to matter that often because damage is random. The variability that you want (some monsters take one hit, some two, and some three) is already in the game and only in niche cases will rolling monster HP add more variety. Given that, I'm not sure it is worth expanding the stat blocks to accommodate those niche cases.

Heh - sometimes I just give the critters max rolls for their hit dice and add their modifier.

 

[jadrax]

Heh - sometimes I just give the critters max rolls for their hit dice and add their modifier.

I did that once for an high level encounter in 3.5... and it really made a huge difference. Far more than just adding a few levels would have done.

 

[FireLance]

I have no problem with monsters rolling HP but it isn't going to matter that often because damage is random. The variability that you want (some monsters take one hit, some two, and some three) is already in the game and only in niche cases will rolling monster HP add more variety. Given that, I'm not sure it is worth expanding the stat blocks to accommodate those niche cases.

With hit point thresholds for spells like sleep, I don't think the cases in which rolling monster hit points will add more variety will be that niche. As it stands, dropping a sleep on a group of fresh orcs will just make them all drowsy. With random monster hit points there is a chance that some of them will need to save or fall unconscious.