Which hp option are you using (and request for RotRL advice therof)?

[Bagpuss]

The Designer's Note on page 14 of the Beta has some options for starting hit points. I'm about to DM a party through RotRL with the PFRPG and was wondering what people would advise for starting hit points from that list? I am leaning to 'Standard' or 'Racial' (other info: 6 total players, but maybe an average of 4.5 players per session expected. I am going to use 20-point "High Fantasy" pointbuy for abilities).

[toyrobots]

Bagpuss wrote:

The Designer's Note on page 14 of the Beta has some options for starting hit points. I'm about to DM a party through RotRL with the PFRPG and was wondering what people would advise for starting hit points from that list? I am leaning to 'Standard' or 'Racial' (other info: 6 total players, but maybe an average of 4.5 players per session expected. I am going to use 20-point "High Fantasy" pointbuy for abilities).

Flat 6.

I am running Runelords as well, and I have been totalling the party's HP after each encounter (not statistically sound, but a good guideline if you feel you've attacked the PCs you should).

Twice now, my party of four has "survived" a tough encounter

Spoiler:

koruvus, Eryllium

with 24 HP for the whole party (only some standing). In other words, Flat 6 has been exactly the difference between my campaign and a TPK.

[Bagpuss]

Interesting (and that's with a 25-point buy, if I recall). Hmmm...

[toyrobots]

Bagpuss wrote:

Interesting (and that's with a 25-point buy, if I recall). Hmmm...

It should be noted that this is the first game with this group after a long D&D hiatus, so they are not in top form tactically.

[tergiver]

I'm doing flat 6, applied to every creature. PC, NPCs, monsters, summoned creatures. I find that it makes the summoned creatures a little tougher and often gets them an extra round of combat.

[seekerofshadowlight]

I use what I have always used. Max HP+con mod

[Pax Veritas]

I am proudly using the Pathfinder MAX + 6 + Con. I've had more fun during levels 1 through 3 than before.

[Abraham spalding]

Most of our local games use Max HP first level, 1/2 dice size + 1 plus con mod every level after that. We haven't really had a issue with this working well in even matched combats (i.e. challenge rating 1 for a level 1 party of 4 people). At level 1 and 2 it does create a little wonkiness if the challenge rating is even a little higher. By the time everyone hits level 3 though the HP issues seem to have disappeared for the most part.

[Seldriss]

Maximum HP at first level +modCon.

Sorceres & Wizards : d6
Bards, Clerics, Druids, Rogues : d8
Fighters, Paladins, Rangers : d10
Barbarians : d12

[Russ Taylor]

Using the racial bonuses. No one is playing a gnome, but if they were, I'd make them a +6 hp race instead of +4.

[Gorbacz]

Class max + CON bonus + 6 here. Works perfect so far.

[Bagpuss]

toyrobots wrote:

It should be noted that this is the first game with this group after a long D&D hiatus, so they are not in top form tactically.

I can imagine. But in any case, it's easier to up combats than it is to write up new characters, so I'm pretty much on the side of "more hp is probably good".

[KaeYoss]

I have my own:

First-level hit points aren't maximised, but in addition to your usual bonuses (i.e. regular 1st-level HD + con), you get a virtual d8 - i.e. extra hit points equal to 1d8 + con modifier. It won't grant you any other benefits of an extra HD except more HP.

Since I use average (rounded up) HD, this translates into bonus HP equal to 5+con.

I do this for two reasons: to give 1st-level characters a bit extra staying power, and to make it irrelevant which level you started with (with this and getting rid of x4 skill points at level 1, it doesn't matter any more whether your fighter/rogue started as a fighter or as a rogue. Except, maybe, for feats)

Since RotRL can be quite brutal at low levels, this will probably not make players too tough. (Though I'm using it in CotCT).

[Fergie]

I started the players at Max on die + Con modifier + 3hp
I have also found that fixed hp (happy side of average) advancement at later levels works great, and prevents a bad die roll or two from destroying on otherwise great character.

I gave 1 and 2 HD creatures +2 hp, and 3 HD and up +3. I was surprised by the large effect it had, especially on some on those longer, boss-type combats. I can't tell you how many combats went on for another round or five because of those extra hp.

In hindsight, I would change it to +1 per HD for creatures,(until at least 3 HD) because the goblins and their dogs were already getting extra hp from other things, and the dogs had toughness.

Important note - my group lacked a cleric in most encounters, and the druid burned through dozens of cure light scrolls by the time they hit those pickle stealing sobs. I have no idea what I would have done if the player had not selected scribe scroll at first level.

[Bagpuss]

I guess that another option, now that the multiclassing XP penalty seems to be gone, would be to give each of them a level in one of the NPC classes (although they're not balanced against each other, so being a 'commoner' might not be fun).

[ruemere]

Custom hitpoint distribution from my campaign (mind you, my campaign is pretty low on supply of magic items, while character stats are a little higher than as per RAW):
- maximum at first level,
- upper half at every level above the first.

Regards,
Ruemere

[Alexander MacLeod]

Our group all liked the racial hit points option. Tough races gain 8, average races gain 6, and frail races gain 4 bonus hp at 1st level. Oh, my poor Con 8 cleric...