I'm looking through the DMG and trying to figure out the calculation used for HP when creating a monster stat block. Per the DMG a Medium monster uses d8s for hit points, so a Medium monster with 5 Hit Dice and a Constitution of 13 (+1 modifier) has 5d8 + 5 hit points. Where does the +5 come from? I understand getting a +1 for a CON modifier but why is it +5.
oh......duh. haha thanks! I couldn't figure it out -- I was starting to think multiplied by the CR (figuring similar to PC's being multiplied by the level) but that wasn't calculating correctly.
And that's a handy way to adjust existing monsters.
For example, if you want to include a Medusa in an adventure because they're cool and it makes sense in the story, but your players' characters are all 3rd level, it's likely that they're going to make a lovely addition to her statuary collection. So you can reduce the HP by essentially reducing the monster's level. As written it has a +3 Constitution, and 17 hit dice - so (4.5*17)+(3*17)= 76.5+51 (round down that 76.5) = 127 HP. But let's say that your Medusa was sickly, or a plague victim prior to the curse - or that they were a child. You can take that Constitution down from +3 to +2, or +1, and have a corresponding drop in HP. You might say that this Medusa hasn't been a Medusa that long, so maybe they only have 14 Hit Dice, or 12, and drop both the Hit Dice and the Constitution multipliers. Reducing the Medusa's effective level like that would also, one would imagine, mean that she has a weaker petrifying gaze, so maybe the save vs. petrification is lower, etc. And, of course, you can turn that around. Maybe you're playing in the world of Greek Myth, and this Medusa is THE Medusa - the cursed priestess from whom all later medusas take their name - maybe she has 19 Hit Dice, and a +4 to Constitution? Or maybe her armor class is higher, because she uses a shield, and she has reach because she has longer hair and uses a spear.
If you're the kind of person that like tinkering with the numbers, there's a lot of things you can do to adjust monsters and personalize them to the needs of your adventure.
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"Good philosophy must exist, if for no other reason, because bad philosophy needs to be answered."
And that's a handy way to adjust existing monsters.
For example, if you want to include a Medusa in an adventure because they're cool and it makes sense in the story, but your players' characters are all 3rd level, it's likely that they're going to make a lovely addition to her statuary collection. So you can reduce the HP by essentially reducing the monster's level. As written it has a +3 Constitution, and 17 hit dice - so (4.5*17)+(3*17)= 76.5+51 (round down that 76.5) = 127 HP. But let's say that your Medusa was sickly, or a plague victim prior to the curse - or that they were a child. You can take that Constitution down from +3 to +2, or +1, and have a corresponding drop in HP. You might say that this Medusa hasn't been a Medusa that long, so maybe they only have 14 Hit Dice, or 12, and drop both the Hit Dice and the Constitution multipliers. Reducing the Medusa's effective level like that would also, one would imagine, mean that she has a weaker petrifying gaze, so maybe the save vs. petrification is lower, etc. And, of course, you can turn that around. Maybe you're playing in the world of Greek Myth, and this Medusa is THE Medusa - the cursed priestess from whom all later medusas take their name - maybe she has 19 Hit Dice, and a +4 to Constitution? Or maybe her armor class is higher, because she uses a shield, and she has reach because she has longer hair and uses a spear.
If you're the kind of person that like tinkering with the numbers, there's a lot of things you can do to adjust monsters and personalize them to the needs of your adventure.
actually this was more of the reason, than creating a "fresh" monster honestly. Was more of an adjusting humanoids (soldiers/commoners/etc. in a war setting). Was just trying to figure out how HP was being calculated (opening up several monsters) as some monsters had like a +20 and I didn't realize that was because it had 20 Hit Dice.
On this topic, how do you go about setting HP of mob members, so that the party is still challenged but not being overwhelmed? Every time I do this I end up making them with too little HP, the monsters get two shot, or I give the monsters too much health.
And secondly, how do you set the boss fight HP in accordance with party size? A five-member party up against a boss, how much higher should the challenge level and HP then be?
Xanathar's as a nifty table for parties of 4, 5, and 6 characters of the same level that shows the appropriate CR for a Solo monster. For instance, 6 level 7 characters can take on a level 11 monster solo.
Otherwise Swarms follow the same basic guidelines for monster creation as the DMG lays out, except most of them are resistant to piercing, slashing, and bludgeoning damage and thus their HP is dropped a little below average.
I am making levels for my Chernabog campaign. One of the monsters I am trying to create is a disney villain named Governor Ratcliffe. I have create the ability scores and modifiers for Ratcliffe. But I am not sure how to make HP for him. He would be a level 7 figher with battlemaster as his archtype. Can someone help me please?
An easy way to go about it is to use the character builder, select the Random Option, and select Fighter at 7th level and whatever options that are available for you to choose. Have the character generate and then make the modifications to ability scores (if needed) and selecting the Battlemaster archetype. You will have at least a starting point for your villain that you can modify to fit your needs. I'd at least give that a try to see if that gives you your desire outcome.
Otherwise, take the number of hit dice that is allowed for a fighter at the 7th level and then include your Con bonus for each level.
Also, for future ideas here is a video about changing monsters for lower and high-level characters which do specifically cover HP modifications.
While it's satisfying to understand how the math works in all this stuff, I've thought a few times now how the homebrew monster builder could be improved a bit by working out the 'average' HP of monsters for us, based on the hit die we assign it.
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Hello,
I'm looking through the DMG and trying to figure out the calculation used for HP when creating a monster stat block. Per the DMG a Medium monster uses d8s for hit points, so a Medium monster with 5 Hit Dice and a Constitution of 13 (+1 modifier) has 5d8 + 5 hit points. Where does the +5 come from? I understand getting a +1 for a CON modifier but why is it +5.
How do you get a one-armed goblin out of a tree?
Wave!
The CON modifier is always multiplied by the number of dice.
oh......duh. haha thanks! I couldn't figure it out -- I was starting to think multiplied by the CR (figuring similar to PC's being multiplied by the level) but that wasn't calculating correctly.
How do you get a one-armed goblin out of a tree?
Wave!
And that's a handy way to adjust existing monsters.
For example, if you want to include a Medusa in an adventure because they're cool and it makes sense in the story, but your players' characters are all 3rd level, it's likely that they're going to make a lovely addition to her statuary collection. So you can reduce the HP by essentially reducing the monster's level. As written it has a +3 Constitution, and 17 hit dice - so (4.5*17)+(3*17)= 76.5+51 (round down that 76.5) = 127 HP. But let's say that your Medusa was sickly, or a plague victim prior to the curse - or that they were a child. You can take that Constitution down from +3 to +2, or +1, and have a corresponding drop in HP. You might say that this Medusa hasn't been a Medusa that long, so maybe they only have 14 Hit Dice, or 12, and drop both the Hit Dice and the Constitution multipliers. Reducing the Medusa's effective level like that would also, one would imagine, mean that she has a weaker petrifying gaze, so maybe the save vs. petrification is lower, etc. And, of course, you can turn that around. Maybe you're playing in the world of Greek Myth, and this Medusa is THE Medusa - the cursed priestess from whom all later medusas take their name - maybe she has 19 Hit Dice, and a +4 to Constitution? Or maybe her armor class is higher, because she uses a shield, and she has reach because she has longer hair and uses a spear.
If you're the kind of person that like tinkering with the numbers, there's a lot of things you can do to adjust monsters and personalize them to the needs of your adventure.
"Good philosophy must exist, if for no other reason, because bad philosophy needs to be answered."
- C.S. Lewis
How do you get a one-armed goblin out of a tree?
Wave!
On this topic, how do you go about setting HP of mob members, so that the party is still challenged but not being overwhelmed? Every time I do this I end up making them with too little HP, the monsters get two shot, or I give the monsters too much health.
And secondly, how do you set the boss fight HP in accordance with party size? A five-member party up against a boss, how much higher should the challenge level and HP then be?
Xanathar's as a nifty table for parties of 4, 5, and 6 characters of the same level that shows the appropriate CR for a Solo monster. For instance, 6 level 7 characters can take on a level 11 monster solo.
Otherwise Swarms follow the same basic guidelines for monster creation as the DMG lays out, except most of them are resistant to piercing, slashing, and bludgeoning damage and thus their HP is dropped a little below average.
Hello,
I am making levels for my Chernabog campaign. One of the monsters I am trying to create is a disney villain named Governor Ratcliffe. I have create the ability scores and modifiers for Ratcliffe. But I am not sure how to make HP for him. He would be a level 7 figher with battlemaster as his archtype. Can someone help me please?
Thanks!
An easy way to go about it is to use the character builder, select the Random Option, and select Fighter at 7th level and whatever options that are available for you to choose. Have the character generate and then make the modifications to ability scores (if needed) and selecting the Battlemaster archetype. You will have at least a starting point for your villain that you can modify to fit your needs. I'd at least give that a try to see if that gives you your desire outcome.
Otherwise, take the number of hit dice that is allowed for a fighter at the 7th level and then include your Con bonus for each level.
Also, for future ideas here is a video about changing monsters for lower and high-level characters which do specifically cover HP modifications.
While it's satisfying to understand how the math works in all this stuff, I've thought a few times now how the homebrew monster builder could be improved a bit by working out the 'average' HP of monsters for us, based on the hit die we assign it.