Temporary Hit Points [Archive] - Wizards Community

Temporary Hit Points [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Asilomar
04-22-07, 04:08 PM When dealing with spells (or feats) that grant temp health, one of my players says that it is only those above and beyond a players max that fade away.

In other words, spells like Vampiric Touch can be used to 'heal' one's self.

Is that correct?
tos_shai_hulud
04-22-07, 04:22 PM No, all temporary hit points are temporary. They can keep a character alive (if his actual hit points goes below zero, he can be kept alive with temporary hit points (they might not stop bleeding, though. I am not sure about that).
weasel0
04-23-07, 01:27 AM No. You keep track of them seperatly from your normal hit points. When the effect ends, any temporary hit points (if still around) dissipate.
starfire311
04-23-07, 12:01 PM No, all temporary hit points are temporary. They can keep a character alive (if his actual hit points goes below zero, he can be kept alive with temporary hit points (they might not stop bleeding, though. I am not sure about that).

it would stop them from bleeding, you bleed if you current HP total is < 0.
Evil DM Mk3
04-23-07, 12:04 PM Vital to note however you ALLWAYS lose them first.
DivineDragoonXD
04-24-07, 09:25 AM Vital to note however you ALLWAYS lose them first.

LOL. I was reading this thread and thinking this same thing. You could essentially use the the Warlock trick to gain an infinite number of temporary hit points thus really never having to dip into your "real" hit points unless a creature or trap did a massive amount of damage.
Merestil Haye
04-24-07, 10:35 AM LOL. I was reading this thread and thinking this same thing. You could essentially use the the Warlock trick to gain an infinite number of temporary hit points thus really never having to dip into your "real" hit points unless a creature or trap did a massive amount of damage.What trick is this?

If it involves repeated castings of a single invocation, the temporary hit points would be counted as coming from the same source, and you get only one benefit.
Morwen
04-24-07, 06:43 PM Temporary hit points go away after one hour, IIRC, so that trick wouldn't really work.
Merestil Haye
04-24-07, 08:16 PM Temporary hit points go away after one hour, IIRC, so that trick wouldn't really work.Temporary hit points last as long as the effect creating them lasts for (or until damage removes them).

As an example, the temporary hit points from False Life last 1 hour per level, while those from an Aid spell last one minute per level.
tos_shai_hulud
04-24-07, 08:23 PM Is there a maximum amount of temporary hit points a character can hold?
Merestil Haye
04-24-07, 08:39 PM Is there a maximum amount of temporary hit points a character can hold?Not that I'm aware of; in practice there's a limited number of different effects that can be working at the same time though.
tos_shai_hulud
04-24-07, 09:01 PM There was some material that set a maximum, but I am not sure where it was. Perhaps it was relating to the positive energy plane, where you continually build up temporary hit points until eventually, you exploded.
Geddonight
04-24-07, 10:55 PM Let's talk specifics about stacking.

The dread necromancer can give herself temp HP from False Life, which should stack with Vampiric touch, right? The real question: how many vampiric touches stack with each other? Does it matter whether or not you VT the same person multiple times until they're dead?

thoughts?
starfire311
04-25-07, 08:44 AM Let's talk specifics about stacking.

The dread necromancer can give herself temp HP from False Life, which should stack with Vampiric touch, right? The real question: how many vampiric touches stack with each other? Does it matter whether or not you VT the same person multiple times until they're dead?

thoughts?

Temp HP from multiple VTs do not stack, if you roll better on a subsequent VT you will keep the higher number.
Merestil Haye
04-25-07, 09:29 AM Let's talk specifics about stacking.

The dread necromancer can give herself temp HP from False Life, which should stack with Vampiric touch, right? The real question: how many vampiric touches stack with each other? Does it matter whether or not you VT the same person multiple times until they're dead?

thoughts?The game designer's answer.Do temporary hit points from two applications of the same effect stack? What about from different effects? If I have temporary hit points from multiple sources, how should I apply damage?
Temporary hit points from two applications of the same effect don’t stack; instead, the highest number of temporary hit points applies in place of all others. Temporary hit points from different sources stack, but you must keep track of them separately.

For example, imagine a character who gained 15 temporary hit points from an aid spell. After taking 8 points of damage, she has 7 temporary hit points left from the spell. If another aid spell were cast on the same character granting 12 temporary hit points, this total would replace the other spell’s total, meaning the character would now have 12 temporary hit points (rather than 19). If the character then cast false life on herself, she would add the full benefit of that spell to the temporary hit points from the aid spell.

This also applies to temporary hit points gained from energy drain and similar special abilities. Each successful attack counts as one application of the effect (meaning that an attack that bestows 2 or more negative levels still counts as only one application of the effect). For example, a wight gains 5 temporary hit points each time it bestows a negative level with its slam attack. If it bestows another negative level while it has 2 temporary hit points remaining from the first attack, the new temporary hit points would replace the old ones.

Temporary hit points are “first-in, first-out.” Damage should be taken off the oldest temporary-hit-point-granting effect first; when that effect is exhausted, apply damage to the next oldest effect. For this reason, you must track each supply of temporary hit points separately.If you have multiple Vampiric Touch effects running, each damage that would reduce one of them reduces them all. You can never benefit from more than one effect from the same source.
DivineDragoonXD
04-27-07, 09:53 AM What trick is this?

If it involves repeated castings of a single invocation, the temporary hit points would be counted as coming from the same source, and you get only one benefit.

Works with the Warlocks Eldritch Blast and a feat that gives you the ability to be healed by negative energy. If you give me a few I can look up the other ability you need.
tos_shai_hulud
04-27-07, 12:32 PM Tomb-Tainted Soul?
Marcus Majarra
04-27-07, 05:19 PM It wouldn't work. The warlock's eldritch blast doesn't deal negative energy damage (unless you're using the Utterdark Blast eldritch essence invocation, but Tomb-Tainted Soul will not make you immune to the two negative levels this essence invocation deals).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Asilomar 04-22-07, 04:08 PM	When dealing with spells (or feats) that grant temp health, one of my players says that it is only those above and beyond a players max that fade away. In other words, spells like Vampiric Touch can be used to 'heal' one's self. Is that correct?
tos_shai_hulud 04-22-07, 04:22 PM	No, all temporary hit points are temporary. They can keep a character alive (if his actual hit points goes below zero, he can be kept alive with temporary hit points (they might not stop bleeding, though. I am not sure about that).
weasel0 04-23-07, 01:27 AM	No. You keep track of them seperatly from your normal hit points. When the effect ends, any temporary hit points (if still around) dissipate.
starfire311 04-23-07, 12:01 PM	No, all temporary hit points are temporary. They can keep a character alive (if his actual hit points goes below zero, he can be kept alive with temporary hit points (they might not stop bleeding, though. I am not sure about that). it would stop them from bleeding, you bleed if you current HP total is < 0.
Evil DM Mk3 04-23-07, 12:04 PM	Vital to note however you ALLWAYS lose them first.
DivineDragoonXD 04-24-07, 09:25 AM	Vital to note however you ALLWAYS lose them first. LOL. I was reading this thread and thinking this same thing. You could essentially use the the Warlock trick to gain an infinite number of temporary hit points thus really never having to dip into your "real" hit points unless a creature or trap did a massive amount of damage.
Merestil Haye 04-24-07, 10:35 AM	LOL. I was reading this thread and thinking this same thing. You could essentially use the the Warlock trick to gain an infinite number of temporary hit points thus really never having to dip into your "real" hit points unless a creature or trap did a massive amount of damage.What trick is this? If it involves repeated castings of a single invocation, the temporary hit points would be counted as coming from the same source, and you get only one benefit.
Morwen 04-24-07, 06:43 PM	Temporary hit points go away after one hour, IIRC, so that trick wouldn't really work.
Merestil Haye 04-24-07, 08:16 PM	Temporary hit points go away after one hour, IIRC, so that trick wouldn't really work.Temporary hit points last as long as the effect creating them lasts for (or until damage removes them). As an example, the temporary hit points from False Life last 1 hour per level, while those from an Aid spell last one minute per level.
tos_shai_hulud 04-24-07, 08:23 PM	Is there a maximum amount of temporary hit points a character can hold?
Merestil Haye 04-24-07, 08:39 PM	Is there a maximum amount of temporary hit points a character can hold?Not that I'm aware of; in practice there's a limited number of different effects that can be working at the same time though.
tos_shai_hulud 04-24-07, 09:01 PM	There was some material that set a maximum, but I am not sure where it was. Perhaps it was relating to the positive energy plane, where you continually build up temporary hit points until eventually, you exploded.
Geddonight 04-24-07, 10:55 PM	Let's talk specifics about stacking. The dread necromancer can give herself temp HP from False Life, which should stack with Vampiric touch, right? The real question: how many vampiric touches stack with each other? Does it matter whether or not you VT the same person multiple times until they're dead? thoughts?
starfire311 04-25-07, 08:44 AM	Let's talk specifics about stacking. The dread necromancer can give herself temp HP from False Life, which should stack with Vampiric touch, right? The real question: how many vampiric touches stack with each other? Does it matter whether or not you VT the same person multiple times until they're dead? thoughts? Temp HP from multiple VTs do not stack, if you roll better on a subsequent VT you will keep the higher number.
Merestil Haye 04-25-07, 09:29 AM	Let's talk specifics about stacking. The dread necromancer can give herself temp HP from False Life, which should stack with Vampiric touch, right? The real question: how many vampiric touches stack with each other? Does it matter whether or not you VT the same person multiple times until they're dead? thoughts?The game designer's answer.Do temporary hit points from two applications of the same effect stack? What about from different effects? If I have temporary hit points from multiple sources, how should I apply damage? Temporary hit points from two applications of the same effect don’t stack; instead, the highest number of temporary hit points applies in place of all others. Temporary hit points from different sources stack, but you must keep track of them separately. For example, imagine a character who gained 15 temporary hit points from an aid spell. After taking 8 points of damage, she has 7 temporary hit points left from the spell. If another aid spell were cast on the same character granting 12 temporary hit points, this total would replace the other spell’s total, meaning the character would now have 12 temporary hit points (rather than 19). If the character then cast false life on herself, she would add the full benefit of that spell to the temporary hit points from the aid spell. This also applies to temporary hit points gained from energy drain and similar special abilities. Each successful attack counts as one application of the effect (meaning that an attack that bestows 2 or more negative levels still counts as only one application of the effect). For example, a wight gains 5 temporary hit points each time it bestows a negative level with its slam attack. If it bestows another negative level while it has 2 temporary hit points remaining from the first attack, the new temporary hit points would replace the old ones. Temporary hit points are “first-in, first-out.” Damage should be taken off the oldest temporary-hit-point-granting effect first; when that effect is exhausted, apply damage to the next oldest effect. For this reason, you must track each supply of temporary hit points separately.If you have multiple Vampiric Touch effects running, each damage that would reduce one of them reduces them all. You can never benefit from more than one effect from the same source.
DivineDragoonXD 04-27-07, 09:53 AM	What trick is this? If it involves repeated castings of a single invocation, the temporary hit points would be counted as coming from the same source, and you get only one benefit. Works with the Warlocks Eldritch Blast and a feat that gives you the ability to be healed by negative energy. If you give me a few I can look up the other ability you need.
tos_shai_hulud 04-27-07, 12:32 PM	Tomb-Tainted Soul?
Marcus Majarra 04-27-07, 05:19 PM	It wouldn't work. The warlock's eldritch blast doesn't deal negative energy damage (unless you're using the Utterdark Blast eldritch essence invocation, but Tomb-Tainted Soul will not make you immune to the two negative levels this essence invocation deals).