Maximum HP leveling question

[KittenEV]

Hi, I'm very very very new to D&D. I just joined my first campaign with a group of friends over the summer, but I'm really confused about how to calculate maximum HP when you level up a character.

My DM isn't making us roll for HP each level so I don't think we're using that method and I don't remember my HP from my previous levels.

I'm a Wood Elf Monk, level 5 now and my max HP is 34, but I don't think that's right. That's the number my DM gave me when I asked. (My constitution modifier is +2 if that helps)

I put in my character into the fifth edition app, but that's given me completely different numbers and I don't how it calculates its HP per level.

This is the numbers it gave me for HP per level:

Level 1 - 10
Level 2 - 17
Level 3 - 24
Level 4 - 39
Level 5 - 46

And I also took the feat Tough at level 4, but I don't know how to calculate that either for future levels. Can someone please lay out straight this barrel of snakes for me? It's all very confusing :smalleek:

[djreynolds]

You add simply plus 2 per level for toughness, and for every 2 points in constitution you would add +1 for every level. I prefer buffing con, as it also increases your saving throws

[pwykersotz]

A Monk uses a d8 for his hit die. That means, if you aren't rolling for hit points, you get 5hp per level. The exception is level 1 when you get the maximum of 8. This is a total of 28hp at level 5.

Then you add your Con modifier to the HP at each level. It's retroactive, so if your Con increases later your hit points from previous levels go up too. A +2 modifier is 2 extra HP per level, so that's +10, for a new total of 38.

The Tough feat adds +2 HP at each level as well. This is an additional 10 HP at level 5, which brings your new total to 48 HP.

If you have a different total than this, the DM may be rolling for you, or may be using a custom method to generate HP.

Edit: Programs will often roll the dice for you, so their results, while valid, may not be reliable depending on how your DM is handling HP.

[Lalliman]

Your maximum HP is determined by your hit dice (HD) and your Con. (And by the Tough feat if you have it.)

Since you're not rolling for HP, you're probably taking the average of your HD rounded up. For a monk, which have d8 HD, that would be 5.

Thus, at every level you gain 5 (from HD) +2 (from your Con) +2 (from the Tough feat) = 9 HP.

The exception to this is that at 1st level, you get the maximum of your HD instead of rolling or taking average. Thus, at 1st level you get 8 + 2 + 2 = 12 HP.

This means that at level 5 your HP should be: 12 (from level 1) + 4*9 (from levels 2-5) = 48.

I don't know how the app works, so I don't know why that one gives a different answer. Your DM is way off though. You should ask him what method he used for calculation.

[KittenEV]

THANK YOU so much everyone! That made everything way clearer.


I guess my next question would be if the feat Tough is worth it or not? ( I can probably convince my DM to renege that and let me either choose a different feat or do the ability score.) But I don't know if Tough is good or not at all. My armor class is 19 (thanks in part to cloak of protection). Will +2 HP each level really do a difference? :smallfrown:

[Lalliman]

Since the monk is a low-HP melee class, I think Tough is certainly valuable to them. It's a good choice if you want to play a bit more like a front-liner and a bit less like a skirmisher, which is what the monk is by default.

Do keep in mind though that you could be raising your stats instead of taking a feat. +2 Dex or +2 Wis is also incredibly valuable for a monk. (Edit: I see now that you already acknowledged that. Oh well, no harm in mentioning.)

If you do want to fully dedicate to the skirmisher role, the Mobile feat is also incredibly valuable to a monk. With their high amount of attacks, it allows them to safely retreat from most engagements without having to spend ki on Step of the Wind, which thus saves more ki for using Flurry of Blows and Stunning Strike.

Overall though: Unless the campaign is very difficult and lethal, you should feel no pressure to build an optimal character. Ask yourself what fits your character best, and go with that.

[pwykersotz]

Since the monk is a low-HP melee class, I think Tough is certainly valuable to them. It's a good choice if you want to play a bit more like a front-liner and a bit less like a skirmisher, which is what the monk is by default.

Do keep in mind though that you could be raising your stats instead of taking a feat. +2 Dex or +2 Wis is also incredibly valuable for a monk. (Edit: I see now that you already acknowledged that. Oh well, no harm in mentioning.)

If you do want to fully dedicate to the skirmisher role, the Mobile feat is also incredibly valuable to a monk. With their high amount of attacks, it allows them to safely retreat from most engagements without having to spend ki on Step of the Wind, which thus saves more ki for using Flurry of Blows and Stunning Strike.

Overall though: Unless the campaign is very difficult and lethal, you should feel no pressure to build an optimal character. Ask yourself what fits your character best, and go with that.

I also agree with all of this. You've got a solid character either way.