Hit Points, Injury, and Natural Healing
All first-level player characters begin with maximum hit points plus their constitution hit point adjustment for their character class.
Example:
Thrag, a fighter with a 17 constitution, starts his career with 13 hit points (10 for being a fighter and 3 for his per-level hit point adjustment). A character is wounded when his hit points drop below the initial first level threshold. For Thrag, it is when his hit points drop below 13. Example:
Thrag has been fortunate enough to advance to the 3rd level. He has 31 total hit points. In the middle of a dungeon adventure, Thrag gets into combat with an ogre. The ogre scores a hit against Thrag with a battle axe for 11 points of damage. The attack leaves Thrag with 20 hit points. He still has seven hit points before he takes an actual wound. At this point in the combat, Thrag has lost some confidence, some stamina, suffered some minor bruising, and exposed some of his tactics, but he has not suffered any long term injury. A character can heal the loss of confidence, stamina, and regain some of his pride with proper rest for one night. Every 24 hours, after sleeping 6 to 8 hours undisturbed, a character can recover lost hit points by rolling one of his HD and adding his constitution hit point adjustment and his level. Example:
After the battle with the ogre, Thrag and his party rest and sleep for 8 hours. When the party has completed their rest, the player controlling Thrag rolls 1d10. He throws an eight. The player adds eight (the hit die roll) plus three (his constitution hit point adjustment) plus three (the character level) for a total of 14. Thrag can only heal 11 hit points (the number of hit points lost above his first level threshold) in this way. Only hit points lost before the first level threshold can be healed in this manner. Only magic or time can restore hit points lost beyond the first level threshold. Spells, potions, and other magical elixirs or items designed to heal damage can repair any hit point loss, usually instantly. Characters heal actual damage (damage above the 1st level threshold) naturally at a rate of 1 hit point per 1 to 10 (see chart below) days of rest. Rest is defined as low activity—nothing more strenuous than minimal (DMs Ruling) traveling. Fighting, running in fear, lifting a heavy object, or any other physical activity prevents resting since it strains old wounds and may even reopen them. If a character has complete bed rest (doing nothing), he can regain 3 hit points in the given time. In the case above, the character is assumed to be getting adequate food, water, and sleep. If these are lacking, the character does not regain any hit points. Example:
Two days later, Thrag encounters a hill giant. In the first round, the hill giant scores a hit for 13 points of damage. This hit leaves Thrag with 18 hit points. Thrag is still above his first level threshold and has not suffered any long term or severe injury. In the second round of combat, the hill giant smashes Thrag, with a massive club, across the chest for 14 points of damage. This attack drops Thrag nine hit points below his first level threshold. It is an actual injury that will take time to heal. The DM will decide if there is any long term effect from the injury. Severe and long term injuries must be healed before a character can regain confidence, pride, or luck, etc. Example:
After the battle with the hill giant, Thrag and his party camp for the day, rest, and sleep. The next day, Thrag can begin to heal one of the nine points he lost from his first level hit point threshold. At this rate, and if there is no magical healing available, it will take Thrag from 9 to 36 days (rolled randomly by DM) to heal the hit points from this actual wound. The DM will decide if there are any long term implications from this injury. After Thrag heals his wound, he can begin to restore his pride, confidence, bruising, etc. Number of days to heal lost threshold hit point:
Warrior: 1d4 days per hit point lost from 1st level threshold wounds.
Priest: 1d8 days per hit point lost from 1st level threshold wounds.
Rogue: 1d10 days per hit point lost from 1st level threshold wounds.
Wizard: 1d12 days per hit point lost from 1st level threshold wounds.
Thrag, a fighter with a 17 constitution, starts his career with 13 hit points (10 for being a fighter and 3 for his per-level hit point adjustment). A character is wounded when his hit points drop below the initial first level threshold. For Thrag, it is when his hit points drop below 13. Example:
Thrag has been fortunate enough to advance to the 3rd level. He has 31 total hit points. In the middle of a dungeon adventure, Thrag gets into combat with an ogre. The ogre scores a hit against Thrag with a battle axe for 11 points of damage. The attack leaves Thrag with 20 hit points. He still has seven hit points before he takes an actual wound. At this point in the combat, Thrag has lost some confidence, some stamina, suffered some minor bruising, and exposed some of his tactics, but he has not suffered any long term injury. A character can heal the loss of confidence, stamina, and regain some of his pride with proper rest for one night. Every 24 hours, after sleeping 6 to 8 hours undisturbed, a character can recover lost hit points by rolling one of his HD and adding his constitution hit point adjustment and his level. Example:
After the battle with the ogre, Thrag and his party rest and sleep for 8 hours. When the party has completed their rest, the player controlling Thrag rolls 1d10. He throws an eight. The player adds eight (the hit die roll) plus three (his constitution hit point adjustment) plus three (the character level) for a total of 14. Thrag can only heal 11 hit points (the number of hit points lost above his first level threshold) in this way. Only hit points lost before the first level threshold can be healed in this manner. Only magic or time can restore hit points lost beyond the first level threshold. Spells, potions, and other magical elixirs or items designed to heal damage can repair any hit point loss, usually instantly. Characters heal actual damage (damage above the 1st level threshold) naturally at a rate of 1 hit point per 1 to 10 (see chart below) days of rest. Rest is defined as low activity—nothing more strenuous than minimal (DMs Ruling) traveling. Fighting, running in fear, lifting a heavy object, or any other physical activity prevents resting since it strains old wounds and may even reopen them. If a character has complete bed rest (doing nothing), he can regain 3 hit points in the given time. In the case above, the character is assumed to be getting adequate food, water, and sleep. If these are lacking, the character does not regain any hit points. Example:
Two days later, Thrag encounters a hill giant. In the first round, the hill giant scores a hit for 13 points of damage. This hit leaves Thrag with 18 hit points. Thrag is still above his first level threshold and has not suffered any long term or severe injury. In the second round of combat, the hill giant smashes Thrag, with a massive club, across the chest for 14 points of damage. This attack drops Thrag nine hit points below his first level threshold. It is an actual injury that will take time to heal. The DM will decide if there is any long term effect from the injury. Severe and long term injuries must be healed before a character can regain confidence, pride, or luck, etc. Example:
After the battle with the hill giant, Thrag and his party camp for the day, rest, and sleep. The next day, Thrag can begin to heal one of the nine points he lost from his first level hit point threshold. At this rate, and if there is no magical healing available, it will take Thrag from 9 to 36 days (rolled randomly by DM) to heal the hit points from this actual wound. The DM will decide if there are any long term implications from this injury. After Thrag heals his wound, he can begin to restore his pride, confidence, bruising, etc. Number of days to heal lost threshold hit point:
Warrior: 1d4 days per hit point lost from 1st level threshold wounds.
Priest: 1d8 days per hit point lost from 1st level threshold wounds.
Rogue: 1d10 days per hit point lost from 1st level threshold wounds.
Wizard: 1d12 days per hit point lost from 1st level threshold wounds.
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