House Rule Idea, request for comments

[CraigR]

I will be playing in a new D&D (3.5) game this weekend. I have been told we will be starting at 1st level, and in the past the DM has expressed concerns about running 1st and 2nd level charaters because of the risk of accidentally killing PCs with a single blow (a hit then a good damage roll).

What if PCs were given their first 3 levels of hit points right up front? They wouldn't actually start gaining more HP until 4th level. How big of an impact would that have, aside from reducing PC death-in-one-shot?

This was just rattling around in my head and needed to be thrown out here. Please, let me hear your opinions on this matter.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by CraigR

I will be playing in a new D&D (3.5) game this weekend. I have been told we will be starting at 1st level,

Just for the record you're starting at 2nd level. I didn't lose anybody the first time I ran this either.

The last time i did lose a PC it was because the idiot module armed 6 HP Orcs with 2 handed weapons with x3 crits. They were even "variant" Orcs with increased ST and decreased DX. They were AC 13. That really made them eggshells armed with hammers.

That can be avoided easily enough.

There was an optional rule in the Pathfinder Beta that allowed you to start 1st level characters with a bonus hit die. It worked fine and it was one of the things from the Beta that I was disappointed didn't make it into the regular edition.

Not nearly as much reason to get the new Pathfinder ruleset as the Beta had led me to hope for.

[Nemi3e]

Solution: Lie.

Seriously, if your players are getting pounded, reduce the damage that the orcs do, their saving throws, and HP.

[Anaraxes]

Our house rule is max hp at first level (pretty common from what I hear). Average hp per level (rounded up) after the first. Recently we've added +6 hp as a sort of campaign bonus feat. Max hp + 6 at first level seems pretty survivable.

Often enough we start at 2nd or 3rd level anyway. Any sort of multi-class concept, for instance, just isn't expressible at 1st level.

[PK]

I heard that the new D&D changed so you get your full Con score as your 1st level HP, and then normal HP progression from that point on. Seemed fairly reasonable to me -- it puts you right at the 3-6th level range for HP off the bat, and it doesn't really hurt anything at higher levels, since D&D PCs have a zillion and a half HP at higher levels anyway.

[LordZoma]

You could always try completely eliminating the need for characters to roll to gain hit points. Simply give characters the maximum. Or better yet, introduce a new stat like Hit Absorb that will soak up damage, so every time they take a hit, it's really for a little bit less.

It'll feel like 3 levels up front but for no money down!

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by Rev. Pee Kitty

I heard that the new D&D changed so you get your full Con score as your 1st level HP, and then normal HP progression from that point on.

Not exactly. "Normal" progression afterward isn't random dice with a Con bonus as we're used to. Weapon attack damage isn't the same either and goes up to some degree with level.

There is essentially no commonality to D&D 4e (or as I like to think of it "Dungeon Magic:The Gathering of Dragons") from earlier editions.

This scheme wouldn't have changed the last PC loss I had either. I just rolled a 42 pt critical hit. If the monster had been armed with a 1D8 + 3 (x2) weapon instead of a 1D10 + 4 (x3) it wouldn't have happened.

[Blu]

I just bought a starter set for 4E. I haven't played any RPG's since about 91. Couldn't the DM just take into consideration the HP's and then do damage how he sees fit? When we played stuff back then (not D&D), we never intended to kill of anybody. If somebody got close, all of us seemed to always take that into account and make sure nobody actually died. I realize at home you can really do whatever you want, but still.

[LemmingLord]

One house rule I like is that once a character is reduced to -1 hp they are "incapacitated and dying" and unconscious for the rest of the combat; extra damage beyond that must be applied evenly to the surrounding player characters. If all players are reduced to -1 hp, they are captured and must escape, well bruised, but at half their normal hit points. Adventure abounds in being captured by a bunch of orcs. Trick them into setting you free, wiggle your way out as you are about to be sacrificed to a beholder who is in desparate need of smarter companionship then the orcs.

[Shrale]

Originally Posted by Rev. Pee Kitty

I heard that the new D&D changed so you get your full Con score as your 1st level HP, and then normal HP progression from that point on. Seemed fairly reasonable to me -- it puts you right at the 3-6th level range for HP off the bat, and it doesn't really hurt anything at higher levels, since D&D PCs have a zillion and a half HP at higher levels anyway.

Interesting from the PHB p16

. Your Constitution score is added to your hit points
at 1st level.