I'm a little confused about how the Bestiary determines monsters' HPs. I thought it was assumed that each HD would be worth its average value, but this doesn't seem to work out mathematically when I look at the various monsters in the Bestiary. Am I missing something?
OK, the boar for instance on p. 36 of the Bestiary. It has 2d8+9 hps. Where does the +9 come from? It's constitution bonus would only be plus 3x2 since it only has 2 HD. Also, it's total HPs are 18. But if you calculate the average for both HD (5) and then add the +9, they should be 19.
It should be 2d8+8 for 17 hit points. They made an error.
Yes, it got the toughness feat, thats +3 till 3rd level. So 6 from con +3 from toughness is +9
I was thinking toughness was 1 per level like in 3.5. I forgot it start off at 3 now.
OK, I was calculating the HP from HD incorrectly. Thank you. =)
Are creatures with levels in PC classes calculated different? I notice that formula works for most of the monsters I see, but if you look at the Lycanthrope, Wererat on p. 197 of the Bestiary it doesn't come out. Also, why does it get +6 for its constitution bonus; it seems like it should be +4?
First HD of first class the character is maximized instead of using average.
At first I thought that wererat and werewolf hps are erroneous as I could not find the source of 2 hp extra possessed by both. However, when I noticed that these are +1 hp per level the it occurred to me that this might be their favored class bonus spent to increase hp.
Monsters with PC levels also get a favored class bonus? Also, Do non PC class levels, such as aristocrat, expert, etc., receive maximum HPs on their first level?
This is why I calculate my own HP for NPC's. First of all my players are usually extreamly optimized so average HP just doesnt cut it most of the time. I do the following
Calculate Max HP from dice X .9 + Con and related feats.
90 percent + Con tends to make the fights last long enough to challenge the group without me having to increase the CR drasticly. Works for me anyways.
Monsters with PC levels also get a favored class bonus? Also, Do non PC class levels, such as aristocrat, expert, etc., receive maximum HPs on their first level?
As far as I can tell, favored class bonus applies for all PC classes. NPC classes do not get a favored class bonus, nor to they get max hit points at 1st level.
Monsters with PC levels also get a favored class bonus? Also, Do non PC class levels, such as aristocrat, expert, etc., receive maximum HPs on their first level?As far as I can tell, favored class bonus applies for all PC classes. NPC classes do not get a favored class bonus, nor to they get max hit points at 1st level.
NPC classes don't get max hit points at 1st level, but they do get favored class bonus. Sometimes this bonus will be spent in skill points, so that's why some monsters in the bestiaries don't seem to get it at first glance, you need to look the skill section and do the math.