constitution damage limits? [Archive] - Wizards Community

constitution damage limits? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
ChefOrc
11-01-06, 09:17 AM I though I read somewhere that constitution damage cannot lower a character's HP below 1 HP per HD, but now I cannot find that anywhere. Did I dream this, or is there such a rule?
Lord Lorac Silvanos
11-01-06, 09:24 AM Removed
ChefOrc
11-01-06, 09:28 AM So, let's say we have a level-10 PC with 5 HP left. A monster deals 4 constitution damage to the PC. Does the PC go to -15 and die instantly?
Lord Lorac Silvanos
11-01-06, 09:33 AM I am sorry, I misread your post.
Here is the quote you are looking for

If a character’s Constitution score drops, then he loses 1 hit point per Hit Die for every point by which his Constitution modifier drops. A hit point score can’t be reduced by Constitution damage or drain to less than 1 hit point per Hit Die.
Rulebook
11-01-06, 09:34 AM well technically, you cant go below 1hp per hd...

but if you hit 0 con or take wounds when you're at like 1 hp you're skrewd
ChefOrc
11-01-06, 09:39 AM Thanks guys
risner
11-01-06, 10:10 AM So, let's say we have a level-10 PC with 5 HP left. A monster deals 4 constitution damage to the PC. Does the PC go to -15 and die instantly?

He would probably hit -15 and die.

This is where you need to know what the die rolls were, since your HP per level can't go below 1, if you have -2 on CON penalty and rolled a 1 or 2 for HP, there is no change. If you rolled a 3, you lose 2 hp for that level. If you rolled a 10, you still lose 2 hp for that level. Understand?

If you didn't track HP or took average, then you need to lower each level by 2 HP for 4 CON damage.
Nom
11-02-06, 12:40 AM Doesn't work like that, risner. The rules do say that your Con mod can't cause you to gain fewer than 1 hp when you add a HD. They also say that your Con mod can't drop your (fully healed) hp to fewer than 1 per HD. However, the two rules don't actually interact as you are suggesting. A wizard with 10 HD has a minimum (fully healed) hp of 10 (1 per die); the Con damage rule is applied to total HD and hp, not retrospectively calculated against each roll (see DMG pg 290 for example).

To the OP: remember that this limit applies "less any damage that (the character) may take". So the PC in the example is most likely dead, unless he had a really low hp total to start with and has only taken a little damage.

Example 1: 10 HD wizard with 8 (-1) Con and fully healed hp of 13. He can't have less than 13 because he started with 3 (4-1) and benefits from the 'must always gain 1 hp per HD' rule. He's taken 8 damage to drop his current hp to 5. He then takes 4 Con damage putting him at 4 (-3) Con. Normally, he'd lose 20 hp (10 * 2), but since his fully healed hp can't drop below 10 he only loses 3 (13 - 10).

Example 2: 10 HD wizard with 12 (+1) Con and fully healed hp of 36 (roughly average, 26+10 from Con). He's taken 21 damage to drop his current hp to 5. He then takes 4 Con damage putting him at 8 (-1) Con. He loses 20 hp from both his "fully healed" and "current" totals. Thus, without damage he would have 16 hp (26 -10 Con), but currently he has -15 (well, -10 because you can't go below -10).
risner
11-02-06, 10:05 AM Doesn't work like that, risner.

Thank you, your method both makes more sense than mine and is more elegant. I always wondered why they made CON changed need to track the original roll (now I know, they don't.)
Nom
11-02-06, 02:59 PM Thank you, your method both makes more sense than mine and is more elegant. I always wondered why they made CON changed need to track the original roll (now I know, they don't.):) It took me a few reads through the various rules to make sure I was confident of the interactions.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ChefOrc 11-01-06, 09:17 AM	I though I read somewhere that constitution damage cannot lower a character's HP below 1 HP per HD, but now I cannot find that anywhere. Did I dream this, or is there such a rule?
Lord Lorac Silvanos 11-01-06, 09:24 AM	Removed
ChefOrc 11-01-06, 09:28 AM	So, let's say we have a level-10 PC with 5 HP left. A monster deals 4 constitution damage to the PC. Does the PC go to -15 and die instantly?
Lord Lorac Silvanos 11-01-06, 09:33 AM	I am sorry, I misread your post. Here is the quote you are looking for If a character’s Constitution score drops, then he loses 1 hit point per Hit Die for every point by which his Constitution modifier drops. A hit point score can’t be reduced by Constitution damage or drain to less than 1 hit point per Hit Die.
Rulebook 11-01-06, 09:34 AM	well technically, you cant go below 1hp per hd... but if you hit 0 con or take wounds when you're at like 1 hp you're skrewd
ChefOrc 11-01-06, 09:39 AM	Thanks guys
risner 11-01-06, 10:10 AM	So, let's say we have a level-10 PC with 5 HP left. A monster deals 4 constitution damage to the PC. Does the PC go to -15 and die instantly? He would probably hit -15 and die. This is where you need to know what the die rolls were, since your HP per level can't go below 1, if you have -2 on CON penalty and rolled a 1 or 2 for HP, there is no change. If you rolled a 3, you lose 2 hp for that level. If you rolled a 10, you still lose 2 hp for that level. Understand? If you didn't track HP or took average, then you need to lower each level by 2 HP for 4 CON damage.
Nom 11-02-06, 12:40 AM	Doesn't work like that, risner. The rules do say that your Con mod can't cause you to gain fewer than 1 hp when you add a HD. They also say that your Con mod can't drop your (fully healed) hp to fewer than 1 per HD. However, the two rules don't actually interact as you are suggesting. A wizard with 10 HD has a minimum (fully healed) hp of 10 (1 per die); the Con damage rule is applied to total HD and hp, not retrospectively calculated against each roll (see DMG pg 290 for example). To the OP: remember that this limit applies "less any damage that (the character) may take". So the PC in the example is most likely dead, unless he had a really low hp total to start with and has only taken a little damage. Example 1: 10 HD wizard with 8 (-1) Con and fully healed hp of 13. He can't have less than 13 because he started with 3 (4-1) and benefits from the 'must always gain 1 hp per HD' rule. He's taken 8 damage to drop his current hp to 5. He then takes 4 Con damage putting him at 4 (-3) Con. Normally, he'd lose 20 hp (10 * 2), but since his fully healed hp can't drop below 10 he only loses 3 (13 - 10). Example 2: 10 HD wizard with 12 (+1) Con and fully healed hp of 36 (roughly average, 26+10 from Con). He's taken 21 damage to drop his current hp to 5. He then takes 4 Con damage putting him at 8 (-1) Con. He loses 20 hp from both his "fully healed" and "current" totals. Thus, without damage he would have 16 hp (26 -10 Con), but currently he has -15 (well, -10 because you can't go below -10).
risner 11-02-06, 10:05 AM	Doesn't work like that, risner. Thank you, your method both makes more sense than mine and is more elegant. I always wondered why they made CON changed need to track the original roll (now I know, they don't.)
Nom 11-02-06, 02:59 PM	Thank you, your method both makes more sense than mine and is more elegant. I always wondered why they made CON changed need to track the original roll (now I know, they don't.):) It took me a few reads through the various rules to make sure I was confident of the interactions.