Calculating starting hit points

[NeonNecromancer]

Dunno if anyone cares, but I'm putting off my woefully-behind paid RPG writing work to fiddle with the numbers for a 45 year old game no one plays anymore...

As has been pointed out by myself and others the starting hit points system isn't ideal. The formula given uses an optional attribute and is fairly complicated.

Here's the original formula:

• Hit Points = (STR / 2) + (STA / 3) + (DEX / 4) / 5, round up
  

I hated this one, so the few times I've actually done character creation I instead use this formula:

• Hit Points = (STR + DEX + HLT) / 15, round up
  

(More easily expressed as "divide the average of STR, DEX, and HLT by 5")

The new formula gives relatively similar results, it just swaps the optional STA for the more obvious required HLT.

The rules say the average hit points for a human is 10, and the result of the formula roughly equals that number.

However, as I was looking through the info for the faerry races I became curious to see if those matched up, so here's a table of all the possible values (AHP and HD come straight from the listings in the book, the rest from math):

• Race: Average Hit Points, Hit Dice, Old Formula, New Formula, Hit Dice result
  
• Humans: 10, 2d6, 11, 10, 7
  
• Elves: 8, 2d6 - 2, 9, 11, 5
  
• Dwarves: 8, 2d6 -3 (min. 3), 13, 11, 4
  
• Trolls: 11, 2d6 + 1, 12, 11, 8
  
• Goblins: 5, 1d6, 11, 10, 3
  
• Faerries: 4*, 1d6 - 2, 6, 7, 1
  

* This is listed as 4 at the beginning of the chapter but 3 under the Faerries heading

Humans, elves, and trolls are pretty close to the formula results (mine is high for elves because elves get a STA penalty that mine doesn't take into account). Dwarves' average should definitely be higher to begin with, so the formula results are just a confirmation that a new AHP needs to be houseruled in. Goblins and faerries are way off, but the faerries' result can be explained away as it being a size thing.

Interestingly(?), using the hit dice to calculate hit points produces results very far off from any of the values.

[Havard]

Interesting! I agree with you, the original formula is not ideal.

Its been a while since I was tinkering with this, but isnt the HLT stat supposed to be optional?

I am a little puzzled that DEX is involved at all, but that is of course in the official rules as well.

-Havard

[NeonNecromancer]

Interesting! I agree with you, the original formula is not ideal.

Its been a while since I was tinkering with this, but isnt the HLT stat supposed to be optional?

I am a little puzzled that DEX is involved at all, but that is of course in the official rules as well.

-Havard

Nope, HLT is required; STA (Stamina) is the optional one. That's why the original is so odd in my mind: it uses an optional stat while simultaneously ignoring the required stat that seems like the most obvious one to use.

However, I did just remind myself that Constitution is listed as a synonym for Stamina in a couple places. My current hypothesis is they originally used CON (like in D&D) originally but split STA and HLT into two separate stats later. While editing the text they naively replaced CON with STA everywhere when they should have used HLT in the formula.

I can kinda see DEX being used in the formula (as well as being the one that contributes the least to it) because it is still one of the "physical" stats along with STR and STA/HLT. If hit points is simply how physically healthy you are, it makes sense DEX might factor in.

[Havard]

Interesting! I agree with you, the original formula is not ideal.

Its been a while since I was tinkering with this, but isnt the HLT stat supposed to be optional?

I am a little puzzled that DEX is involved at all, but that is of course in the official rules as well.

-Havard

Nope, HLT is required; STA (Stamina) is the optional one. That's why the original is so odd in my mind: it uses an optional stat while simultaneously ignoring the required stat that seems like the most obvious one to use.

However, I did just remind myself that Constitution is listed as a synonym for Stamina in a couple places. My current hypothesis is they originally used CON (like in D&D) originally but split STA and HLT into two separate stats later. While editing the text they naively replaced CON with STA everywhere when they should have used HLT in the formula.

I can kinda see DEX being used in the formula (as well as being the one that contributes the least to it) because it is still one of the "physical" stats along with STR and STA/HLT. If hit points is simply how physically healthy you are, it makes sense DEX might factor in.

Ah, yes you are correct of course. I remember finding an optional stat as part of the core rules being confusing too when I was looking at these rules a few years ago. 

I see what you are saying about DEX, that does make sense. 

I agree that CON is a mistake and that could have lead to STA where they should have used HLT.


-Havard