[4e] Battlerager Vigor Temporary Hitpoints

[AxeD]

Hi, I just started a 4e campaign as a Dwarf fighter and took the Battlerager Vigor class feature. Its a great feature, although I think I might be calculating the temporary hitpoints I get incorrectly.

Battlerager Vigor
Each time an enemy hits you with a melee or a close
attack, you gain temporary hit points equal to your
Constitution modifier (after the attack is resolved).

So, in my case, every time an enemy hits me, I get 7 temporary hit points (including a feat I have). Is it just me or is this overpowered? I can only get 7 temp hp from this method, but it's like getting 7/- DR at first level.

During the game, we were calculating it as follows:
Example: (Dwarf fighter with 40 hp)
Round 1:

I am hit for 6 damage by enemy #1, my hp total drops to 34 hp and I gain 7 temp hitpoints (total of 41)

I am hit by enemy #2 for 4 damage, my normal hp stays the same (still at 34), my temp hp drops by 4 points, I gain 7 temp hit points from being hit in melee, but only 4 points are actually gained (leaving me with a total of 7 temp hp) - Total hp: 41

My DM and I were a little unsure of how powered up this ability was, so we thought about limiting it to it only occuring once per round, ie, if I am hit by 2 guys, I only gain temp HP once.

Can anyone give me advice whether I am calculating it correctly? I think that it may not be that overpowered, since it doesn't include ranged attacks or magic. I'm not sure what it means about "close attacks", so if anyone could also give me a clue as to what that means, I'd greatly appreciate it.

[PhallicWarrior]

They actually errata'd this. The temp hp doesn't stack. Unfortunate, but they were way OP without it.

[AxeD]

They actually errata'd this. The temp hp doesn't stack. Unfortunate, but they were way OP without it.

Sorry, it doesn't stack? How does it work then? I only get temp hp once per round/encounter?

[tcrudisi]

Battlerager Vigor has been errata'ed. This is copy/pasted from the errata itself:

Battlerager Vigor
Page 6: Add “You gain the hit points only after the attack is resolved” to the end of the first two paragraphs. This change provides clearer timing for the acquisition of the temporary hit points. This update ensures that a character does not gain the benefit of the feature’s third paragraph on the same attack
granting temporary hit points to him or her.
Old Update: Delete the first two paragraphs and replace them with the following text. The first two paragraphs of original text were removed because
they allowed the battlerager to gain excessive temporary hit points and thus ignore most standard monster attacks and all minion attacks.
Whenever you hit an enemy with a melee or a close attack, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Constitution modifier, plus any temporary hit points normally granted by the power. You gain the hit points only after the attack is resolved. If you use an invigorating fighter attack power
and miss every target with it, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Constitution modifier. You gain the hit points only after the attack is resolved.

The errata can be found (for free) here: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/updatesarchive

;tldr - You only gain temp hp whenever you hit with an attack (either a melee or a close attack).

[Mando Knight]

I'm not sure what it means about "close attacks", so if anyone could also give me a clue as to what that means, I'd greatly appreciate it.

A "Close" attack is one made by a Close burst or blast area-of-effect power, such as a dragon's breath weapon.

[AxeD]

Thanks guys, I informed my DM about this and he's going to decide how the ability will work before our next game.

[Yakk]

The errata version works fine at low-heroic (it is probably too strong then).

By late-heroic, through to paragon/epic, the temporary HP gained are too small to actually make a difference, esp. if you are using MM3 style monsters.

I'd give it a bump at paragon/epic. Maybe con+4 at paragon, and con+8 at epic.

[Gralamin]

The errata version works fine at low-heroic (it is probably too strong then).

By late-heroic, through to paragon/epic, the temporary HP gained are too small to actually make a difference, esp. if you are using MM3 style monsters.

I'd give it a bump at paragon/epic. Maybe con+4 at paragon, and con+8 at epic.

This is sadly a problem with the errata coming before MM3. I'd agree these changes are a good idea.

[Cartigan]

The errata version works fine at low-heroic (it is probably too strong then).

By late-heroic, through to paragon/epic, the temporary HP gained are too small to actually make a difference, esp. if you are using MM3 style monsters.

I'd give it a bump at paragon/epic. Maybe con+4 at paragon, and con+8 at epic.

Well it does 2x Con when used with Invigorating powers, which is really why you are going Battlerager in the first place...
Though you are basically left having to take Improved Vigor (+1/2/3) or Dwarf Stoneblood (+2/4/6) as a feat.

Though investigating this just made me realize I am Paragon tier now on my Battlerager and get an extra +2 with my Stoneblood feat. I'm sure my DM will be amused to learn I get +12 temp hp a round when using an invigorating power.

[Yakk]

So 16 con, increasing by a total of +10 by level 30.

At level 1: 16 con, 6 temporary HP
A level 2 monster does an average of 6 damage on a hit (8 encounter)

You nullify on average 1 hit, or 75% of an encounter power hit.

At level 14: 20 con, 12 or 14 HP (depending if you read the +2 as being doubled -- IIRC, RAW has it not being doubled)
A level 15 monster does an average of 19 damage on a hit (24 encounter)

You nullify on average 63% of a hit, or 50% of an encounter hit.

At level 30: 26 con, 19 or 22 HP (see above)
A level 31 monster does an average of 35 damage on a hit (44 encounter)

You nullify on average 54% of a hit, or 43% of an encounter hit.

Even with "double bonus" and "stoneblood" versions, you end up soaking a decreasing percentage of a hit. The amount gets small enough that by epic, it becomes a pretty bad choice going battlerage vigor.