Ways to boost HPs on an BBEG

[Thanee]

...doubly-empowered Bear's Endurance for +8 Con?

+4 isn't a variable effect (it's a constant or static effect) and thus not affected by Empower Spell.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Li Shenron]

Are there feats that increase your Hit Points? - besides Toughness and Imp. Toughness

Are there any Magic items (for a fighter) that would increase HP? - besides raising Con with Amulet of Health.


Any Wotc or Malhavoc source is ok.

Just give him more hit points.

As long as he doesn't have more than you could have rolled (i.e. full HP for its HD), it still has the same CR.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

Another possibility is subbing one or two of the fighter or barbarian levels for hexblade and having him use a wand of false life. (Cha bonus to saves vs spells and spell like effects and mettle are nice too if you want 2 or 3 levels of hexblade)

False Life is personal and thus cannot be made into a potion. But, with sufficient ranks in UMD and a scroll would work.

But, that's not a Feat.

 

[kreynolds]

Here is what I use. Not temporary hit points, mind you.

For players, +1 LA for every 30 bonus hit points.
For monsters, +1 CR for every 45 bonus hit points.

(difference in values is due to the way the CR system works in D20)

 

[Slaved]

Here is what I use. Not temporary hit points, mind you.

For players, +1 LA for every 30 bonus hit points.
For monsters, +1 CR for every 45 bonus hit points.

(difference in values is due to the way the CR system works in D20)

It seems to me that extra hit points given in this way should scale by level.

After all, 45 hit points to bring a challenge rating 1/3 creature up to challenge rating 1 might be a bit much.

Perhaps something easy like 10 times the original challenge rating in extra hit points?

 

[kreynolds]

It seems to me that extra hit points given in this way should scale by level.

After all, 45 hit points to bring a challenge rating 1/3 creature up to challenge rating 1 might be a bit much.

Perhaps something easy like 10 times the original challenge rating in extra hit points?

Yes, one needs to be mindful when adding hit points to creatures. The same goes for adding any special abilities or qualities at all, in fact. Personally, I tend to limit the bonus hit points to no more than double the creature's/character's current total.

With that said, anything with a +1 CR modifier or higher breaks when added to anything below CR1 (or in my experience, CR2). +30 hit points on a goblin can be ugly at low level, but a paragon template on a goblin is worthless at high level. See? Broken.

EDIT: Forgot my rule of thumb on this. Generally speaking, the CR modifier of the bonus hit points you throw on a creature should not be more than half the creature's base CR. For example, a CR 6 creature should not get more than +3 CR of bonus hit points.

 

[Tinker Gnome]

Take his current HP, say 124, erase that number, and put 500 instead. There you go!

 

[Michael Silverbane]

A heal made into a Contingent Spell (Complete Arcane) could be a good way to increase your bad guy's hit points. If you set it to go off when he is 'winded' (at half hit points) or 'severely wounded' (at one-quarter hit points) or 'disabled' (zero or fewer hit points), or whatever, it'll add up to 150 hit points. On the plus side, it is available right there in the rules. On the minus side, your players could counteract the bonus with a judicious dispel or disjunction, or by killing him outright (healing spells don't work on those who are deceased, you know).

Later
silver

 

[Darklone]

How about a level of Barbarian? Or a Ring of Spell Storing with a doubly-empowered Bear's Endurance for +8 Con? Plus a Heal spell, of course, courtesy of his intelligent Evil sword.

3.0? 3.5 Endurance can't be empowered.