Attributes rolled, class selected, roll for hit points…
How does your Dungeons & Dragons group handle rolling for hit points?
Naturally there is the by-the-book method, but this (hit points) is something that I often see as a house rule, even withing my own AD&D group.
The main thing is to be consistent across all players and campaigns regarding whatever method you select.
The first is rules-old school.
Roll for hit points, apply and constitution and/or character adjustments and there you go. You get what you get, which if you are playing a magic-user and roll a pointy triangle and it comes up with a “1” that isn’t really much of a loss as 1-4 hit points per roll is not a large pool.
But, what about a character that rolls a D10- often front line combat types, there is a big difference between rolling a “1” vs. a “10.”
For this reason many Dungeons Masters will often go max hit points for level 1 as a way to give all characters a fighting chance.
This works, and it is something that I often used to use in my D&D modern games…
...but this is Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.
A different gaming experience from a more eloquent time.
Yet, I do have to balance the utter lethality of the game.
So I go with an iron-clad house rules for all my campaings, modules, and adventures when I am the DM.
First level allows you to roll for hit points and if you get a “1” you get a single re-roll- get another “1” on the reroll and you have to keep it- the dice gods have spoken.
Leveling up, you roll for hit points as in the rules and you keep the results with no further re-rolls.
Give all first level adventurers a fighting chance, yet maintain the integrity of the game.
See you in the game.