New Starting Hit Point Idea


Alpha Release 3 General Discussion


I am preparing to start a CoCT Beta playtest, and I was considering using this tweak on the starting hit point variant rule. What do folks think?

Rule Text: All characters receive an additional number of hit points at first level based on their size and their initial Constitution modifier. This number of bonus hit points is not increased at subsequent levels even if the size or Constitution score of the character changes. Thus, starting Hit Points equal Max HD + Con. Modifier + Size modifier bonus + second bonus equal to Con. Modifier (if positive)

In detail:

Small Races (Halflings, Gnomes, etc.): +2 hit points + Constitution modifier (min. 0)

Medium Races (Humans, Dwarves, etc.) : +4 hit points + Constitution modifier (min. 0)

Large Races (Monstrous races, etc.): +6 hit points + Constitution modifier (min. 0)

Advantages of the System

(1) Retains some of the flavor of the "racial variant" but by moving it to size you now have a generalized rule that can be applied to the races in the splat books.

(2) By adding a second Constitution modifier, you bump up gnomes and dwarves a bit so that they effectively float in-between the size categories. You also bump elves down a bit but because they are Medium they aren't penalized as much as they are in the Alpha Three racial variant. Halflings and half-orcs are penalized the most vis-a-vis the Alpha 3 racial variant, but I am ok with that. Plus, the variation allowed by the second Con. bonus helps minimize the racial disparities I think (i.e. halfling could have more bonus hit points than human depending on CON scores of both).

My Concerns

(1) Is this too complicated? Maybe the +6 for all characters is the way to go because it is just so simple.

(2) Does logic require that you give the size modifier bonus to everything with a size? If so, this probably doesn't work. If it doesn't strain logic too much to limit the bonus to PCs (and leveled NPCs), then I think it could be nice solution to the problem.

Marnak

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