Hit Points

Table of Contents

This page contains rulings regarding Hit Points. Any changes to the HP mechanic are detailed here.

Average HP
Characters may opt, at any given level, to take the average HP for their hit die rather than rolling their HP. They must make this decision prior to rolling their HP for that level. If the character declares they are rolling their HP, they must take the result of the roll even if it is less than the average.

The average HP per hit die is calculated as follows: add one to the die size, divide by two, and round down. If the class level being taken is odd, the character's HP total increases by this amount. If the class level being taken is even, the character's HP total increases by this amount + 1.

Bloodied
This rule is optional, and is not necessarily included in all campaigns.

Though the HP mechanic is meant to be an abstraction of a character's level of injury, combat fatigue, and overall morale, there are some who would argue that it isn't sensible for a character to suddenly go from full combat ability to completely disabled and bleeding to death with only a single hit point of damage. For those people, there is this Bloodied mechanic.

When a creature's HP total is less than twenty percent of their HP total (round down), they are considered Bloodied and take a -2 to all attacks, saves and skill checks. This represents a creature's overall fatigue and injury due to the rigors of combat. Even creatures who are otherwise immune to fatigue or critical hits suffer these penalties, representing the ongoing damage that they are taking from combat.

The Bloodied condition is apparent to anyone with a DC 10 Sense Motive check. Creatures may use Bluff to attempt to hide the fact that they are Bloodied; this usage is a swift action each round, and the check result becomes the Sense Motive DC.