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General Tabletop Discussion
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
Why I Think Rolling For Hit Points is a Bad Thing
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<blockquote data-quote="Li Shenron" data-source="post: 5925011" data-attributes="member: 1465"><p>There is a bell curve, but it is gradually approached as levels go up. The first HP roll (presumably 2nd level) has a flat distribution, when you have rolled twice the distribution is triangle-shaped, but already at the third roll the curve is close enough to a bell.</p><p></p><p>The reason why HP are random are not really because of the "thrill", but to guarantee the existence of different individuals, some more robust and some less, in the fantasy world (of course you may argue that Constitution score is enough, but eventually Gygax must have disagreed).</p><p></p><p>But given the fact that the more you roll HP the more you approach the average result (half your HD + 0.5), the most "fair" alternative rule to random HP would be to get a flat amount per level equal to that average. Instead, 99% of the groups which use non-random HP they give MORE than that, e.g. 3/4 of your HD or even full HD. Why? Because they don't so much hate random HP as much as they just hate low HP, and no matter how many the "standard" rule gives them, they always think they need more.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Li Shenron, post: 5925011, member: 1465"] There is a bell curve, but it is gradually approached as levels go up. The first HP roll (presumably 2nd level) has a flat distribution, when you have rolled twice the distribution is triangle-shaped, but already at the third roll the curve is close enough to a bell. The reason why HP are random are not really because of the "thrill", but to guarantee the existence of different individuals, some more robust and some less, in the fantasy world (of course you may argue that Constitution score is enough, but eventually Gygax must have disagreed). But given the fact that the more you roll HP the more you approach the average result (half your HD + 0.5), the most "fair" alternative rule to random HP would be to get a flat amount per level equal to that average. Instead, 99% of the groups which use non-random HP they give MORE than that, e.g. 3/4 of your HD or even full HD. Why? Because they don't so much hate random HP as much as they just hate low HP, and no matter how many the "standard" rule gives them, they always think they need more. [/QUOTE]
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Why I Think Rolling For Hit Points is a Bad Thing
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