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 20^th-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 20^th-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 20^th-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

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