Darker Dungeons Hit Point question

[jdrakeh]

In the System Basics section refers to rolled hit points for PCs, but elsewhere the text indicates that PCs do not roll for hit point and the tables seem to support this. So.... no rolled hit point, right?

Secondly, the table entries do not seem to line up with what the text for each class says regard hit point. For example, the text for clerics states:

Clerics gain (6+ Con Bonus) hit points at first level, and then another (4+ Con Bonus) hit points per level of experience until 9th level.

After 9th level, clerics gain 1 hit point per level and do not add additional con bonuses (bu t do retain the bonuses added to hit points gained at previous levels).

The table entry for first level seems correct, reading "6+C". The table entries for further levels, however, read "X+YC" where X is the static number of hit points, which is okay.... but Y is another numeral, equal to level and presented as a multiplier. Which is where I'm lost.

Using basic maths, the entry for second level, for example, should be interpreted as "10+2xC" - which doesn't line up with the text at all. Not only does the text say nothing about multipliers; it says nothing about further numeric modifiers at all!

Shouldn't the extended level entries on the table simply read "X+C" like the entry for level 1 did? What am I missing? I've read all of the relevant text several times and am not any less confused. Please, help me, Blacky! You're my only hope!

[Boneguard]

This formula takes you to any level: (6+C)+((4+C)*(L-1))+(1*(L-9)) since the second part is your level(L) -1. And ignoring negativbe value for the 3rd part.

So lets say your con bonus is +2
Level 1 (6+2)+((4+2)*(1-1))+(1*-8) = 8+(6*0)+(-7) = 8
Level 2 (6+2)+((4+2)*(2-1))+(1+-7) = 8+(6*1)+(-6) = 14

Level 10 (6+2)+((4+2)*10-1)+(1*(10-9) = 8+(6*9)+(1*1) = 8+54+1 = 63
etc.

does this help?

[jdrakeh]

does this help?

Lord Jesus, no. Ideally, I'd just like to be able to make sense of the chart. I admit I may be looking at it wrong, but I assume it was included for easy reference.... so I'd ideally like to be able to use it for that.

[Boneguard]

does this help?

Lord Jesus, no. Ideally, I'd just like to be able to make sense of the chart. I admit I may be looking at it wrong, but I assume it was included for easy reference.... so I'd ideally like to be able to use it for that.

Ah Ok, I see what you mean. And I think I got it.

The table entry for first level seems correct, reading "6+C". The table entries for further levels, however, read "X+YC" where X is the static number of hit points, which is okay.... but Y is another numeral, equal to level and presented as a multiplier. Which is where I'm lost.

Using basic maths, the entry for second level, for example, should be interpreted as "10+2xC" - which doesn't line up with the text at all. Not only does the text say nothing about multipliers; it says nothing about further numeric modifiers at all!

Actually X+YC looks good to me. And match the description you gave (up to level 9) of 6+Con at 1st and the 4+Con per level up to 9th and then from 10th upward +1 hit point.

Let's take my above cleric with a +2 con modifier.

At 1st level it would be 6+1*2 so 8
At 2nd level it would be (6+4)+2*2 so 14
At 3rd Level it would be (6+4+4)+3*2 so 20
etc.

Essentially your X is the cumulative of unmodified hit ppoint per level the class get to which you add level*con bonus as the modifier.


Edit:
Is it possible that the 6 and 4 referes to dice eg d6+Con and d4+Con rather then round numeric value?

[jdrakeh]

Actually X+YC looks good to me. And match the description you gave (up to level 9) of 6+Con at 1st and the 4+Con per level up to 9th and then from 10th upward +1 hit point.

Let's take my above cleric with a +2 con modifier.

At 1st level it would be 6+1*2 so 8
At 2nd level it would be (6+4)+2*2 so 14
At 3rd Level it would be (6+4+4)+3*2 so 20
etc.

Yeah, I started using your equation and running the results against the X+YC equations on the table. They do line up perfectly. Thanks for your help!

Edit:
Is it possible that the 6 and 4 referes to dice eg d6+Con and d4+Con rather then round numeric value?

I don't think so. I don't think that PCs roll any dice for hit points. The reference that I found to that seems to be some text that was copied/pasted from Dark Dungeons and simply missed during editing passes.

[Boneguard]

Glad to help.

Edit:
Is it possible that the 6 and 4 referes to dice eg d6+Con and d4+Con rather then round numeric value?

I don't think so. I don't think that PCs roll any dice for hit points. The reference that I found to that seems to be some text that was copied/pasted from Dark Dungeons and simply missed during editing passes.

Yeah It's possible. Would not be the first time this happened.

[Blacky the Blackball]

Actually X+YC looks good to me. And match the description you gave (up to level 9) of 6+Con at 1st and the 4+Con per level up to 9th and then from 10th upward +1 hit point.

Let's take my above cleric with a +2 con modifier.

At 1st level it would be 6+1*2 so 8
At 2nd level it would be (6+4)+2*2 so 14
At 3rd Level it would be (6+4+4)+3*2 so 20
etc.

Essentially your X is the cumulative of unmodified hit point per level the class get to which you add level*con bonus as the modifier.

That's right.

Edit:
Is it possible that the 6 and 4 referes to dice eg d6+Con and d4+Con rather then round numeric value?

They are supposed to be explicit numeric values. The assumption is that characters get maximum hit points at level 1 and then average after that. For someone who would have had a d6 per level in Dark Dungeons, this means they get 6 at first level and 3.5 (rounded up to 4) each level after that. Plus Con bonuses, of course.

[Blacky the Blackball]

I don't think that PCs roll any dice for hit points. The reference that I found to that seems to be some text that was copied/pasted from Dark Dungeons and simply missed during editing passes.

That's correct.

A more embarrassing mistake is that there's a huge typo in the Elf's hit points in the table. I don't have the book in front of me, but I think it's around level 5-7 where they get a sudden unexplained extra 10 hit points for no reason. That's a mistake that's corrected in the automated character sheet.

To be honest, Darker Dungeons is the book that I'm least happy with of all the ones I've done. Not the rules - they're fine - but the layout, design, and proofreading are all sub-par.

[jdrakeh]

To be honest, Darker Dungeons is the book that I'm least happy with of all the ones I've done. Not the rules - they're fine - but the layout, design, and proofreading are all sub-par.

I actually like the art/layout better than that in Dark Dungeons but, yeah, it might need another editing pass.