Hit Point Tables

Reginald suggested in rec.games.frp.dnd that charts showing the hit points gained by level would be handy, I have to agree. I decided to put those together and really look at what the calculations come up with. I included all even Constitution values from 10 through 30 (the range of values I can expect to see PCs have, though the higher Constitutions don’t normally come into play until higher levels). The comparative hit point totals work out in an interesting way. The non-martial characters come out somewhat lower than before, though not horrendously so. A Con 20 20th-level wizard would now have 130 hit points instead of the 151 hit points he would have had in D&D 3.x. At Con 16 the values are quite close (108 to 111), but at Con 28 the values are rather farther apart (178 to 231). The semi-martial characters are somewhat closer, but I found a bit of a surprise. At Con 20 a 20th-level semi-martial character has a hit point total about halfway between the totals a rogue or cleric would have (185 vs 172 or 193). At Con 16 he has almost exactly the same hit points as a cleric (151 to 153), while at Con 28 the total is almost exactly the same as a Rogue (253 to 252). The martial characters are a straight up improvement, no question. At Con 20 a 20th-level martial character has a hit point total slightly better than a barbarian (240 to 235). A similar relationship holds for the other Constitution values. Let’s review the original goals behind this change.

  • Martial characters really do tend to have more hit points than non-martial characters.
  • Reduce the emphasis on Constitution.
  • Make low-level characters a little more durable (give them some more hit points).
  • Use a couple of simple calculations instead of rolling dice.

As is evident in the tables below, martial characters clearly have more hit points than non-martial characters. The hit point totals appear to still be fairly linear from non-martial through semi-martial to martial, with martial having somewhat more hit points than before and non-martial having somewhat less, and semi-martial lying somewhere between the two semi-martial hit dice totals (d6 and d8). The effects of Constitution are rather reduced because non-martial and semi-martial characters don’t get to apply it as often. There is now a more significant difference between the hit point totals for the different ‘martialness’ of the characters. Starting characters always have more hit points in Echelon than they did in D&D 3.x. Finally, I think “BAB * (1+ Con/2)” is a pretty straightforward calculation, and much less work than trying to roll and add a number of dice, especially when they’re mixed (or d4s, rolling d4s annoys me). All things considered, I think this scheme has achieved the goals.

Non-Martial Characters

These are characters who do not have significant combat training, though may have more experience than they want in combat (the Level Bonus).

Level

BAB

Con 10

Con 12

Con 14

Con 16

Con 18

Con 20

Con 22

Con 24

Con 26

Con 28

Con 30

0

0

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

30

1

0

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

30

2

1

16

19

22

25

28

31

34

37

40

43

46

3

1

16

19

22

25

28

31

34

37

40

43

46

4

2

22

26

30

34

38

42

46

50

54

58

62

5

2

22

26

30

34

38

42

46

50

54

58

62

6

3

28

33

38

43

48

53

58

63

68

73

78

7

3

28

33

38

43

48

53

58

63

68

73

78

8

4

34

40

46

52

58

64

70

76

82

88

94

9

4

34

40

46

52

58

64

70

76

82

88

94

10

5

40

47

54

61

68

75

82

89

96

103

110

11

5

40

47

54

61

68

75

82

89

96

103

110

12

6

46

54

62

70

78

86

94

102

110

118

126

13

6

46

54

62

70

78

86

94

102

110

118

126

14

7

52

61

70

79

88

97

106

115

124

133

142

15

7

52

61

70

79

88

97

106

115

124

133

142

16

8

58

68

78

88

98

108

118

128

138

148

158

17

8

58

68

78

88

98

108

118

128

138

148

158

18

9

64

75

86

97

108

119

130

141

152

163

174

19

9

64

75

86

97

108

119

130

141

152

163

174

20

10

70

82

94

106

118

130

142

154

166

178

190

Semi-Martial Characters

These are characters whose careers involve the expectation of combat, so they have taken on some combat training and toughened up somewhat.

Level

BAB

Con 10

Con 12

Con 14

Con 16

Con 18

Con 20

Con 22

Con 24

Con 26

Con 28

Con 30

0

0

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

30

1

0

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

30

2

1

16

19

22

25

28

31

34

37

40

43

46

3

2

22

26

30

34

38

42

46

50

54

58

62

4

3

28

33

38

43

48

53

58

63

68

73

78

5

4

34

40

46

52

58

64

70

76

82

88

94

6

4

34

40

46

52

58

64

70

76

82

88

94

7

5

40

47

54

61

68

75

82

89

96

103

110

8

6

46

54

62

70

78

86

94

102

110

118

126

9

6

46

54

62

70

78

86

94

102

110

118

126

10

7

52

61

70

79

88

97

106

115

124

133

142

11

8

58

68

78

88

98

108

118

128

138

148

158

12

9

64

75

86

97

108

119

130

141

152

163

174

13

9

64

75

86

97

108

119

130

141

152

163

174

14

10

70

82

94

106

118

130

142

154

166

178

190

15

11

76

89

102

115

128

141

154

167

180

193

206

16

12

82

96

110

124

138

152

166

180

194

208

222

17

12

82

96

110

124

138

152

166

180

194

208

222

18

13

88

103

118

133

148

163

178

193

208

223

238

19

14

94

110

126

142

158

174

190

206

222

238

254

20

15

100

117

134

151

168

185

202

219

236

253

270

Martial Characters

These are the dedicated warriors, with as much training as they can get.

Level

BAB

Con 10

Con 12

Con 14

Con 16

Con 18

Con 20

Con 22

Con 24

Con 26

Con 28

Con 30

0

0

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

30

1

1

16

19

22

25

28

31

34

37

40

43

46

2

2

22

26

30

34

38

42

46

50

54

58

62

3

3

28

33

38

43

48

53

58

63

68

73

78

4

4

34

40

46

52

58

64

70

76

82

88

94

5

5

40

47

54

61

68

75

82

89

96

103

110

6

6

46

54

62

70

78

86

94

102

110

118

126

7

7

52

61

70

79

88

97

106

115

124

133

142

8

8

58

68

78

88

98

108

118

128

138

148

158

9

9

64

75

86

97

108

119

130

141

152

163

174

10

10

70

82

94

106

118

130

142

154

166

178

190

11

11

76

89

102

115

128

141

154

167

180

193

206

12

12

82

96

110

124

138

152

166

180

194

208

222

13

13

88

103

118

133

148

163

178

193

208

223

238

14

14

94

110

126

142

158

174

190

206

222

238

254

15

15

100

117

134

151

168

185

202

219

236

253

270

16

16

106

124

142

160

178

196

214

232

250

268

286

17

17

112

131

150

169

188

207

226

245

264

283

302

18

18

118

138

158

178

198

218

238

258

278

298

318

19

19

124

145

166

187

208

229

250

271

292

313

334

20

20

130

152

174

196

218

240

262

284

306

328

350

Comparing to D&D 3.x Hit Point Averages

Hit Die of d4 (Sorcerer, Wizard)

Level

Con 10

Con 12

Con 14

Con 16

Con 18

Con 20

Con 22

Con 24

Con 26

Con 28

Con 30

1

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

2

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

3

9

12

15

18

21

24

27

30

33

36

39

4

11

15

19

23

27

31

35

39

43

47

51

5

14

19

24

29

34

39

44

49

54

59

64

6

16

22

28

34

40

46

52

58

64

70

76

7

19

26

33

40

47

54

61

68

75

82

89

8

21

29

37

45

53

61

69

77

85

93

101

9

24

33

42

51

60

69

78

87

96

105

114

10

26

36

46

56

66

76

86

96

106

116

126

11

29

40

51

62

73

84

95

106

117

128

139

12

31

43

55

67

79

91

103

115

127

139

151

13

34

47

60

73

86

99

112

125

138

151

164

14

36

50

64

78

92

106

120

134

148

162

176

15

39

54

69

84

99

114

129

144

159

174

189

16

41

57

73

89

105

121

137

153

169

185

201

17

44

61

78

95

112

129

146

163

180

197

214

18

46

64

82

100

118

136

154

172

190

208

226

19

49

68

87

106

125

144

163

182

201

220

239

20

51

71

91

111

131

151

171

191

211

231

251

Hit Die of d6 (Bard, Rogue)

Level

Con 10

Con 12

Con 14

Con 16

Con 18

Con 20

Con 22

Con 24

Con 26

Con 28

Con 30

1

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

2

9

11

13

15

17

19

21

23

25

27

29

3

13

16

19

22

25

28

31

34

37

40

43

4

16

20

24

28

32

36

40

44

48

52

56

5

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

6

23

29

35

41

47

53

59

65

71

77

83

7

27

34

41

48

55

62

69

76

83

90

97

8

30

38

46

54

62

70

78

86

94

102

110

9

34

43

52

61

70

79

88

97

106

115

124

10

37

47

57

67

77

87

97

107

117

127

137

11

41

52

63

74

85

96

107

118

129

140

151

12

44

56

68

80

92

104

116

128

140

152

164

13

48

61

74

87

100

113

126

139

152

165

178

14

51

65

79

93

107

121

135

149

163

177

191

15

55

70

85

100

115

130

145

160

175

190

205

16

58

74

90

106

122

138

154

170

186

202

218

17

62

79

96

113

130

147

164

181

198

215

232

18

65

83

101

119

137

155

173

191

209

227

245

19

69

88

107

126

145

164

183

202

221

240

259

20

72

92

112

132

152

172

192

212

232

252

272

Hit Die of d8 (Cleric, Druid, Monk, Ranger)

Ranger is a bit of an odd fit here because it has a full Base Attack Bonus progression and yet the hit points of a semi-martial class.

Level

Con 10

Con 12

Con 14

Con 16

Con 18

Con 20

Con 22

Con 24

Con 26

Con 28

Con 30

1

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

2

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

30

32

3

17

20

23

26

29

32

35

38

41

44

47

4

21

25

29

33

37

41

45

49

53

57

61

5

26

31

36

41

46

51

56

61

66

71

76

6

30

36

42

48

54

60

66

72

78

84

90

7

35

42

49

56

63

70

77

84

91

98

105

8

39

47

55

63

71

79

87

95

103

111

119

9

44

53

62

71

80

89

98

107

116

125

134

10

48

58

68

78

88

98

108

118

128

138

148

11

53

64

75

86

97

108

119

130

141

152

163

12

57

69

81

93

105

117

129

141

153

165

177

13

62

75

88

101

114

127

140

153

166

179

192

14

66

80

94

108

122

136

150

164

178

192

206

15

71

86

101

116

131

146

161

176

191

206

221

16

75

91

107

123

139

155

171

187

203

219

235

17

80

97

114

131

148

165

182

199

216

233

250

18

84

102

120

138

156

174

192

210

228

246

264

19

89

108

127

146

165

184

203

222

241

260

279

20

93

113

133

153

173

193

213

233

253

273

293

Hit Die of d10 (Fighter, Paladin)

Level

Con 10

Con 12

Con 14

Con 16

Con 18

Con 20

Con 22

Con 24

Con 26

Con 28

Con 30

1

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

2

15

17

19

21

23

25

27

29

31

33

35

3

21

24

27

30

33

36

39

42

45

48

51

4

26

30

34

38

42

46

50

54

58

62

66

5

32

37

42

47

52

57

62

67

72

77

82

6

37

43

49

55

61

67

73

79

85

91

97

7

43

50

57

64

71

78

85

92

99

106

113

8

48

56

64

72

80

88

96

104

112

120

128

9

54

63

72

81

90

99

108

117

126

135

144

10

59

69

79

89

99

109

119

129

139

149

159

11

65

76

87

98

109

120

131

142

153

164

175

12

70

82

94

106

118

130

142

154

166

178

190

13

76

89

102

115

128

141

154

167

180

193

206

14

81

95

109

123

137

151

165

179

193

207

221

15

87

102

117

132

147

162

177

192

207

222

237

16

92

108

124

140

156

172

188

204

220

236

252

17

98

115

132

149

166

183

200

217

234

251

268

18

103

121

139

157

175

193

211

229

247

265

283

19

109

128

147

166

185

204

223

242

261

280

299

20

114

134

154

174

194

214

234

254

274

294

314

Hit Die of d12 (Barbarian)

Level

Con 10

Con 12

Con 14

Con 16

Con 18

Con 20

Con 22

Con 24

Con 26

Con 28

Con 30

1

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

2

18

20

22

24

26

28

30

32

34

36

38

3

25

28

31

34

37

40

43

46

49

52

55

4

31

35

39

43

47

51

55

59

63

67

71

5

38

43

48

53

58

63

68

73

78

83

88

6

44

50

56

62

68

74

80

86

92

98

104

7

51

58

65

72

79

86

93

100

107

114

121

8

57

65

73

81

89

97

105

113

121

129

137

9

64

73

82

91

100

109

118

127

136

145

154

10

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

150

160

170

11

77

88

99

110

121

132

143

154

165

176

187

12

83

95

107

119

131

143

155

167

179

191

203

13

90

103

116

129

142

155

168

181

194

207

220

14

96

110

124

138

152

166

180

194

208

222

236

15

103

118

133

148

163

178

193

208

223

238

253

16

109

125

141

157

173

189

205

221

237

253

269

17

116

133

150

167

184

201

218

235

252

269

286

18

122

140

158

176

194

212

230

248

266

284

302

19

129

148

167

186

205

224

243

262

281

300

319

20

135

155

175

195

215

235

255

275

295

315

335

Variant Application of the Hit Point Formula

It is not evident from the tables above because I skipped the odd Constitution values is that the difference between an even Constitution score and the next (odd) value up is only one hit point if you use the original formula (which was “BAB * (6 + mCon)“, which is the same as “BAB * (1 + floor(Con/2))“). This is a bit of an artifact of the formula as written (based on D&D 3.x ability score modifiers). If we move to a more raw form, “BAB * (1 + Con/2)” and only truncate at the end we get a smoother table. To illustrate, I’ve copied the martial hit point table (for Constitutions 10-20 done both ways. Personally, I prefer the latter and have changed to use it. As mentioned, this was not evident in the tables above because the odd Constitution values were not shown. Something similar could be done with the Base Attack Bonus, but I prefer not to because the formula either gets weird or ends up with weird results. Strict calculation of “level/2+training bonus” gives us, for martial characters, “0, +1.5, +2, +3.5, +4, …”, which does not appeal to me in the least.  It may be possible to use formulas to interpolate for the cleaner Training Bonus rates, but now it’s getting into exception processing — which I also don’t like. At this point I’ll leave that as a house rule.

Original Formula: BAB * (1 + floor(Con/2))

Level

BAB

Con 10

Con 11

Con 12

Con 13

Con 14

Con 15

Con 16

Con 17

Con 18

Con 19

Con 20

0

0

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

1

1

16

17

19

20

22

23

25

26

28

29

31

2

2

22

23

26

27

30

31

34

35

38

39

42

3

3

28

29

33

34

38

39

43

44

48

49

53

4

4

34

35

40

41

46

47

52

53

58

59

64

5

5

40

41

47

48

54

55

61

62

68

69

75

6

6

46

47

54

55

62

63

70

71

78

79

86

7

7

52

53

61

62

70

71

79

80

88

89

97

8

8

58

59

68

69

78

79

88

89

98

99

108

9

9

64

65

75

76

86

87

97

98

108

109

119

10

10

70

71

82

83

94

95

106

107

118

119

130

11

11

76

77

89

90

102

103

115

116

128

129

141

12

12

82

83

96

97

110

111

124

125

138

139

152

13

13

88

89

103

104

118

119

133

134

148

149

163

14

14

94

95

110

111

126

127

142

143

158

159

174

15

15

100

101

117

118

134

135

151

152

168

169

185

16

16

106

107

124

125

142

143

160

161

178

179

196

17

17

112

113

131

132

150

151

169

170

188

189

207

18

18

118

119

138

139

158

159

178

179

198

199

218

19

19

124

125

145

146

166

167

187

188

208

209

229

20

20

130

131

152

153

174

175

196

197

218

219

240

Updated Formula: BAB * (1 + Con/2)

Level

BAB

Con 10

Con 11

Con 12

Con 13

Con 14

Con 15

Con 16

Con 17

Con 18

Con 19

Con 20

0

0

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

1

1

16

17

19

20

22

23

25

26

28

29

31

2

2

22

24

26

28

30

32

34

36

38

40

42

3

3

28

30

33

35

38

40

43

45

48

50

53

4

4

34

37

40

43

46

49

52

55

58

61

64

5

5

40

43

47

50

54

57

61

64

68

71

75

6

6

46

50

54

58

62

66

70

74

78

82

86

7

7

52

56

61

65

70

74

79

83

88

92

97

8

8

58

63

68

73

78

83

88

93

98

103

108

9

9

64

69

75

80

86

91

97

102

108

113

119

10

10

70

76

82

88

94

100

106

112

118

124

130

11

11

76

82

89

95

102

108

115

121

128

134

141

12

12

82

89

96

103

110

117

124

131

138

145

152

13

13

88

95

103

110

118

125

133

140

148

155

163

14

14

94

102

110

118

126

134

142

150

158

166

174

15

15

100

108

117

125

134

142

151

159

168

176

185

16

16

106

115

124

133

142

151

160

169

178

187

196

17

17

112

121

131

140

150

159

169

178

188

197

207

18

18

118

128

138

148

158

168

178

188

198

208

218

19

19

124

134

145

155

166

176

187

197

208

218

229

20

20

130

141

152

163

174

185

196

207

218

229

240

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