D&D 5E Why different HD types for classes? (Another HP thread...)

[DND_Reborn]

Why are you using a Lizardfolk for Ranger? They're better as Clerics and Druids. Your problem here is with the racial ability score increases, not with the Dex stat itself.

And FYI, my issues isn't with DEX, it is with everyone having the same proficiency bonus for everything.

 

[Garthanos]

Yeah, I've been harping on that for months. We bumped up proficiency to +2 to +8 progression. It isn't great, but it is better.

I don't have a "simple" solution myself. Sure the numbers thing is one part. The only reliable solutions I have seen are fairly complex or progressively complex or even overly complex with a skill by skill break down of improving effectiveness being central.

 

[Garthanos]

The game is supposed to work regardless of such choices, and when it doesn't is when issues show themselves.

It does work it makes those choices significant too not just the class you chose

You want the class to have more impact and it does after you get out of training tier

 

[aco175]

I'm wondering why 5e made NPCs d8 for just being medium size, while classes get d6, d10 or whatever. I kind of give more HP to NPC fighter-types than mage-types, but it still does not make sense.

 

[Hriston]

I'm wondering why 5e made NPCs d8 for just being medium size, while classes get d6, d10 or whatever. I kind of give more HP to NPC fighter-types than mage-types, but it still does not make sense.

NPCs get average hit points whereas PCs get maximum hit points at 1st level, so a Commoner with 1d8 hit die would be equivalent to a PC with 1d4, in theory.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I'm wondering why 5e made NPCs d8 for just being medium size, while classes get d6, d10 or whatever. I kind of give more HP to NPC fighter-types than mage-types, but it still does not make sense.

The idea of all medium-sized creatures use a d8 for base HP was part of my source for the OP.

Because NPC aren't really designed using classes. You can, of course, the but idea was you didn't have to and it was supposed to make creating such "monsters" easier. The only adjustment otherwise is how many you get.

A Scout (CR 1/2) has 3d8
An Evil Mage (CR 1) has 5d8
A Spy (CR 1) has 6d8
A Bandit Captain (CR 2) has 10d8
A Druid (CR 2) has 5d8
A Knight (CR 3) has 8d8
An Archer (CR 3) has 10d8
A Martial Arts Adept (CR 3) has 11d8
A Gladiator (CR 5) has 15d8
A Conjurer (CR 6) has 9d8

They already give more d8s to many fighter-types, such as the Bandit Captain (10) vs. the Druid (5), or the Gladiator (15) compared to the Conjurer (9), for equal CRs.

EDIT: Adding some of the highest CR humanoids that seem "class-based" in concept anyway:

Archmage (CR 12) has 18d8
ArchDruid (CR 12) has 24d8
Warlord (CR 12) has 27d8

An archmage has 18d8+18 for 99 hp. This is exactly 4.5 per d8. An 18th-level wizard would have 92 assuming +1 CON bonus. A difference of 7 hp.

An archdruid has 24d8+24 for 132 hp, also 4.5 per d8. An 18th-level druid would have 117 hp assuming +1 CON bonus. A difference of 15 hp.

A warlord has 27d8+108 for 229 hp, or 4.48 per d8. An 18th-level fighter would have 184 hp assuming +4 CON bonus. A difference of 45 hp!

So, not only do they give more d8s to non-casters, but by comparison to the classes, they buff non-casters in HP even more.

 

[aco175]

I would be interested to see how many people use average HP for monsters and NPCs. Also, by giving them more d8 hit dice would you also be giving them more levels to go towards spellcasting and such. I know that I could have a 20hd person and have them only have 4th level spells or such, but that feels cheap or harder than I wish to work to make the game easy to run.

 

[Tony Vargas]

. I know that I could have a 20hd person and have them only have 4th level spells or such, but that feels cheap or harder than I wish to work to make the game easy to run.

That's just a level 20 Eldritch Knight (or Arcane Trickster).

 

[DND_Reborn]

I would be interested to see how many people use average HP for monsters and NPCs. Also, by giving them more d8 hit dice would you also be giving them more levels to go towards spellcasting and such. I know that I could have a 20hd person and have them only have 4th level spells or such, but that feels cheap or harder than I wish to work to make the game easy to run.

I know for our DM and myself when I run a game, we nearly always use average HP for monsters and NPCs. Of course, we also use average damage for them as well to speed up play.

You can give creatures more hp without having to adjust other things, just keep in mind large changes to HP, AC, attacks, damage, spells, or whatever will also result in a higher CR.

 

[DND_Reborn]

@aco175 :

This is a site I like which has lots of tools, but the basics for CR determination of a creature is here:

http://1-dot-encounter-planner.appspot.com/quick-monster-stats.html

As long as you get the concepts in the DMG, you should be able to follow it well enough.