Variant HP Methods?

[Staffan]

Does anyone have any interesting alternative methods for hit points in D&D?

This doesn't have much to do with your method, but I think it's an interesting alternative that moves in the opposite direction (tougher PCs). Basically, if you're not happy with your hp roll, you can reroll with the next lower die. In other words, let's say you're a fighter, and you roll your d10 for hp, and it comes up 3. That sucks, so you reroll it with a d8... which rolls 2. Damn, it's not your day today. So you reroll again with a d6, which comes up 5. Well, it's not gonna get better than that with a d4, so you keep it.

 

[dvvega]

This doesn't have much to do with your method, but I think it's an interesting alternative that moves in the opposite direction (tougher PCs). Basically, if you're not happy with your hp roll, you can reroll with the next lower die. In other words, let's say you're a fighter, and you roll your d10 for hp, and it comes up 3. That sucks, so you reroll it with a d8... which rolls 2. Damn, it's not your day today. So you reroll again with a d6, which comes up 5. Well, it's not gonna get better than that with a d4, so you keep it.

Actually I use this very method IMC. Players have the option of keeping their hit point roll every level or letting me roll. If they choose me to roll they MUST take what they receive. I keep rolling down the chain until I get worse than the previous roll (not including the original roll by the player).

My method is a little different whereby you use the next lower die and add 1 for each die step.

So a Barbarian (d12) would get (d10+1) then (d8+2) then (d6+3) then (d4+4).

As I progress further along the chain, the character is more likely to get average hit points for the level.