Monster Hit Dice in DnD

#dnd #dungeonsanddragons #rpg #ttrpg #dnd5e #tabletopgaming #5e #criticalrole #dungeonmaster #wotc #tabletop #mtg #wizardsofthecoast #gamemaster #homebrew #player #gamedesign #dmtips #monster #monsters #hitdice

[dancingwatch]

*Players after five hours of fighting one wolf* “WHY WONT YOU DIE?” Dm: “Meet Okami. It’s got more health than a tarrasque.”

[dragoknight]

Note that PCs automatically get a max roll on their first hit die, but monsters don’t.

[benevolentworldexploder]

Here's a fun and useful tip for DMs:

Some NPC stat blocks are based on classes. The CR is different than their class level, and they don't get all class features, but if you pay attention you'll see they get the same number of hit dice as their class level. For example, the necromancer in Volo's is a 12th level caster, uses the wizard spell list, and has 12d8 hit dice. (Keep in mind, the hit dice are still based on creature size, not class.) There are exceptions to this, but often those exceptions still follow a similar logic, like multiplying the hit dice by 2 or 3 times their hidden class level. You can figure this out by looking for stats like multi attack on fighter based classes, or the sneak attack damage of NPCs like Master Thief. Some monsters follow the same logic, but not always.

[archable]

My goodness you explained that so well, I’ve just purchased the storm wreck isle starter and I’m the one DMing and I just couldn’t understand how the hit dice worked in the monster block after reading the rules so many times, thank you for all the help !

[nicosuave]

That makes sense thank you! That’s wild you actually saw that comment and explained. I was stoked when I realized because I had the same question as the one in the video lol. I’ve actually never played DND but it seems really fun

[ashleendona]

Thank you Cinder, I really appreciate when you explain the specific mechanics of dnd like this. I know a lot of more experienced players might find it boring but I find it really helpful and interesting so I thought I’d let you know. Thanks

[OpenPodBayDoor]

Tbh I think it's much easier to just decide that this monster should have x number of hit points rather than trying to engage with the hit die

[theprotein]

This was genuinely so helpful as sometimes I need to re read the core rules so many times before I understand what it actually means

[ryukrocks]

OH THOSE ARE ALSO ITS HIT I thought it was just to roll the hp, that actaully makes so much sense, and the type of die being related to the size of the creature is super helpful to know for homebrew in the future

[AbyssalDragon]

If a monster gets bigger, so does it's hit dice
If a monster gets smaller, so does it's hit dice
It talks about this in the DM's guide.
This is also where it says that a monster can't have any stats over 30.
People generally apply the latter rule to player characters but not the first.
Pick to apply them or not for your perception of general rules. Not part one way part the other.
Keep in mind that I'd be happy to be a barbarian of that rave that gets bigger at level 5 and team up with a wizard so I could be huge and have a d100 hit dice.
There are plenty of stat boosting options that don't care what it already is. For example, the 50 piety features for serving the theros gods and certain magic items.

[Zombiewithabowtie]

Also, for high level Grave Clerics, the number on the left of the "d" is the number you can heal people for as part of Keeper of Souls.

[Kaiser]

Any time I run a mob encounter for my group I roll for each individual one, it took them for surprise when they would kill one enemy quickly but another was able to withstand the same blow. Just made it feel like one was younger or more frail than the other, almost like it was an adolescent not an adult

[elricengquist]

I prefered to go with both monsters an pc/npcs having hit dice based on size regardless of class, since it made the fact much easier for the players an dms in my groups to understand it.

What I did for clases is that like with your con score giving you a bonus on each role for hit points, a class gives you a bonus to your hit dice (some dms in my groups even do this for different types of monsters. Like dragons or abominations giving a higher hit dice bonus than humanoids or undead). When my fighter players see they are getting a 1d8+10 each level (+6 for being a fighter and a +4 for thier con stat), while the mage is getting a 1d8+5 (+4 for being mage, and +1 for con stat) they actually seem to like it better since their base hp they have felt is much more reliable an useful amount.

[garygallimore]

for boss encounters i have the minimum and maximum values of the hitdice written down. if the fight is going south and i want to avoid a tpk. i rule the monster has hp closer to the minimum value, if the fight is too easy i have the monster be closer to the maximum range. i never go below or above the range. it's really helpful for balancing on the fly.

[mudpie]

I tend to add a die or two depending on if the npc has a name and maybe class levels if it fits with the character

[rasbaindechain]

In the wolf scenario, i always liked the explanation that the alpha probably has max health for its die, and the others would have more or less based on their 'place' in the pack. The absolute weakest would probably only have 4hp.

[DexteroExplosion]

Typically, larger creatures tend to have comparatively higher Con. And, of course, they have larger hit dice. So, for a given number of hit points, larger creatures will have fewer hit dice. Which makes Imprisonment weird. The spell component cost is based on hit dice, making it cheaper to imprison a larger creature of equal hit points. I just changed it to be 1kgp per CR instead.

[mitchhaelann]

If players are steam-rolling encounters because they've found a perfect synergy of powers between their characters, that equation lets the DM use the same monsters they planned to use, just increasing the HP to make the fight less one-sided.

I give all my monsters twice the HP, BUT when they hit 'half' they attempt to flee the battle and/or surrender. A wolf isn't going to fight to the death unless its pups are in danger. Goblins aren't going to fight to the death unless whipped into a frenzy. Most humans aren't going to fight to the death ever.

[AeonKnigh]

The real answer is "don't worry about it, you aren't going to take a short rest anyway"

[AvangionQ]

Rather than rolling, I always calculate HP as: max at first level, plus half max +1 for each additional level. That said, I preferred the 4E version: starting HP adds constitution score plus class bonus.