Temporary Hit Points

[Irranshalee]

Having a little confusion. I just want to make sure this is right:

If you gain temporary hit points from a spell or ability, they are used first. If they are lost due to damage, they cannot be healed.

If you gain temporary hit points due to a constitution increase, they are not used first. If they are lost due to damage, they can be healed.

So I am raging and gain constitution. This means if I reach my temporary hit points, am unable to heal, and lose my rage I will...

1) ...go into negative hit points.
2) ...go to 0 hit points and stay conscious.

It appears the former.

[Strannik]

It is entirely possible to end a rage and then die, under certain circumstances, so the answer is #1.

Basically, when your rage ends, you subtract the extra HP due to your increased Con, and whatever number you end up w/ is your current HP, which can end up being a negative number.

[Elven_Blades]

#1 is correct

Gaining Con does not give you temp HP, you actually changes your maximum total.

For this reason, I find it better to count damage up, not subract HP as you lose it. (some people call me crazy about this).
I find it easier to track constitution changes and Neg levels in this way. I note this because some of the people I play with don't change their HP when they gain or lose Con, so even though they should have more (or less) HP, they don't change thieir total because they did not "take damage" just then.

Also, if you count you HP down, the you have to do math twice whenever you Con changes, once for you total possible HP, and again for your current remaining HP. It's not a lot of math IMO, but it throws of some of the people I've played with that are not so good at math.

[Elven_Blades]

Strannik wrote:

It is entirely possible to end a rage and then die, under certain circumstances, so the answer is #1.

Basically, when your rage ends, you subtract the extra HP due to your increased Con, and whatever number you end up w/ is your current HP, which can end up being a negative number.

My rage ends, I die

#1 killer of barbarians throughout history.