| 1 person marked this as FAQ candidate. |
Ok, so according to this recent FAQ, temp hp from different sources do stack. But this now creates a different conundrum. How do you determine which stack of temp hp is used?
Sample scenario:
Devourer has precast Spectral Hand and uses Spectral Hand through it, gaining 31 temporary hp. The Devourer is hit for 6 damage and goes down to 25 temp hp. The next round the Devourer hits with one of its two claws, energy draining and gaining 5 temp hp (different source), going up to 30 temp hp.
So now, at this point, what happens if the Devourer is hit for another 6 damage?
1) 5 damage is subtracted from the energy drain temp pool, and one is subtracted from the VP pool, putting the Devourer at 24 VP temp hp with the capability of energy draining on its next attack and replenishing the ED pool, thus going up to 29 total temp hp.
or
2) 6 damage is subtracted from VP pool, leaving the Devourer at 19 VP temp hp and 5 ED temp hp for a total of 24, but now cannot potentially go up to 29 temp hp on a successful ED next round.
I would think you get to pick where it comes off from. It seems like there was a post a while back saying where you are choosing the order multiple effects are applied, the character affected can choose that order. I am sorry I don't have the link.
I must have missed this FAQ, does False Life and Greater False Life count as the same source?
yeah...there is really no strict ruling on this. But my take would be one of either two options.
Option A: The character with the temp HP gets to pick.
OR
Option B: The most recent source of Temp HP gets used first.
I though temp hp is just one big pool, you don;t subdivide it, or else you run into the craziness of having separate pools like you're talking about. Once you've gained temp HP from a source, and it's added to your pool, you can't stack it with a repeat of the ability untill all the temp HP is gone and you're starting over.
This is coming from the recent FAQ that stated that temp HP do stack as long as they are from separate sources.
The reason that you would need to track which temp HP are getting used is pretty simple. Temp HP go away when the effect goes away. If a bard uses inspire greatness you get 2d10+con mod(x2) temporary hit points. If you cast false life the turn before you now have a problem.
Lets say you have 10 temp hp from false life... then the bard uses inspire greatness and you gain 12 temp hp from that. Okay... then you get hit for 10 damage. Now you have 12 total temp hp left... that part is clear. But next round, the bard stops using inspire greatness on you.
If the damage you took was subtracted from those temp HP from false life, then you no longer have any Temp HP. If you just subtract the amount that wore off... well then those 12 temp hp you had didn't actually do anything at all did they, because you would still be out.
So the question is... in that scenario, can you choose to lose the temporary hit points that you gained from inspire greatness first and then next round still have your 10 temporary hp from false life?
GM call. In the interests of sanity, and because everyone will play that way anyway, the temp hp that go away first are the ones whose duration expires first.