Barbarian hit points

[chomskola]

From the PHB on the Barbarian Rage:

The increase in Constitution increases the barbarian’s hit points by 2 points per level, but these hit points go away at the end of the rage when his Constitution score drops back to normal. (These extra hit points are not lost first the way temporary hit points are.)

My question is..then how are the hit points lost?

[DeltaEmil]

When your Constitution score reverts to its normal value after the rage ends, you lose the increased hit points score.

That means that if you are a level 10 barbarian raging and getting 20 additional hit points because of your increased Constitution score, take 20 damage in the encounter, and then your rage ends, you lose a total of 40 hit points, because the 20 hit points from your increased Constitution score go away once the Rage ends, and the 20 points of damage you took from the encounter are 20 points of damage.

That means that yes, a barbarian can suddenly drop dead after the rage end.

[erikun]

Any change in Constitution changes both the character's current HP and their maximum HP.

A 10th level Barbarian with 100 HP who rages has their maximum HP increase to 120 HP. If they were currently at full health (100 HP), then their current HP would also increase to 120 HP. If they currently had 65 HP before raging, then their current HP would increase to 85 HP.

This works in reverse with losing Constitution. Our 10th level Barbarian, when done raging, has their maximum HP drop from 120 HP to 100 HP. If they had a current HP of 120, it would drop to 100 HP. If their current HP was 85, it would drop to 65 HP. If their current HP was 5, it would drop to -15 HP (and they would be dead).

This applies to any change in Constitution score. Having Bear’s Endurance cast on you, or putting on an Amulet of Health +4, results in a similar and immediate Constitution score increase and a similar increase in current/maximum HP. Removing them similarly decreases the character's current/maximum HP.

[Darrin]

My question is..then how are the hit points lost?

The same way you lose hit points when you take any other kind of Con damage.

This is what I hate most about the standard Barbarian rage, those aren't "extra" HPs, those are just a temporary buffer that goes away. It's hardly even worth it to keep track of your "new" HP total if it's just going back down to the old HP total after your rage ends. You have to keep track of your non-rage HPs even while in a rage, because if you can't get to the cleric before you drop out, you run the risk of a permanent dirt nap.

So I'd suggest using a rage variant like Whirling Frenzy (Unearthed Arcana) or Ferocity (Cityscape Web Enhancement), or house-ruling it to something like: when a Barbarian rages, Con stays the same, but they get +2 to Fort saves and character level x2 temporary HP until the end of the encounter.

[ericgrau]

Something important to save barbarian lives is that falling unconscious doesn't end the rage, as odd as that may seem. The FAQ confirms this.

Otherwise yes ending the rage can kill you. You have 3 + (new con mod) rounds to get healed which is usually plenty for a fight but you may need to be healed immediately after the fight.

[chomskola]

Penalties for using rage seem high compared to the benefits

[andromax]

So I'd suggest using a rage variant like Whirling Frenzy (Unearthed Arcana).

I second this.. it's standard in my group.

That and Exoticist Fighter is pretty much a given.

[KillianHawkeye]

Something important to save barbarian lives is that falling unconscious doesn't end the rage, as odd as that may seem. The FAQ confirms this.

Yeah, getting healing for my unconscious barbarian before his rage ends is a typical occurance in the game I'm in (we're level 6 now). I need to buy a Healing Belt.

[Gullara]

Penalties for using rage seem high compared to the benefits

I don't really see that. Either way you end up losing the same amount of health and end up with the same amount of health when it's all over. The only difference is that in one case you're not getting a nice Rage booth to your power.

Keep in mind that you can be healed to prevent you from dying before the rage ends.

[KillianHawkeye]

The real benefit of raging comes when you hit level 8 and learn to transform into a bear. :smallamused:

[pres_man]

What I do is add the additional hps "on the bottom". What I mean by that is if your barbarian gets 20 hps from raging this means:
-19 to Max: acts normally (note if he is -10 or lower he is a dead man walking)
-20: he is disabled
-29 to -21: dying
-30 or lower: dead

This way, you know your characters is basically too angry to realize he is dead. If he happens to get healed before he realizes it, he is still alive. If not, ... see images below.

Barbarian at -15 hp while raging.
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q261/pres_man/rage1.jpg

Barbarian at -15 hp when rage ends.
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q261/pres_man/rage2.jpg