I am new to D&D, and since I wanted to get into the game, I bought the physical version of the 2024 Player's Handbook. I read through the whole thing, and was left with a question about Hit Point Dice: what exactly are they?
The index says they are mentioned on pages 41 and 368, but it also appears on pages 370 under "Long Rest" and 373 under "Short Rest"
On page 41, it mentions that a Level 1 character will have 1 Hit Point Die, and that they can be spent to recover health. That is all that is explained about Hit Point Dice
On page 368, which is in the Rules Glossary, it says that Hit Point Dice can determine a character's hit point maximum, and again that they can be spent during a short rest to regain Hit Points
On page 370, in the Rules Glossary, hidden in the text about Regaining all HP during a long rest, it says that you regain all spent Hit Point Dice. Nowhere else in this book does it mention that Hit Point Dice can even be regained at all. I only saw that this text was here when I was looking back through the book to write this thread. I was going with the assumption that using one was entirely permanent, since it only ever said that they can be lost.
Finally, on page 373, also in the Rules Glossary, it says the following verbatim of what you can do with Hit Point Dice during a short rest: "You can spend one or more of your Hit Point Dice to regain Hit Points. For each Hit Point Die you spend in this way, roll the die and add your Constitution modifier to it. You regain Hit Points equal to the total (minimum of 1 Hit Point)."
This is all that is mentioned about Hit Point Dice in this 384 page book, and I still do not know much about them. I know that each character has at least one, and that they are rolled to heal HP during a Short Rest, and regained during a Long Rest, but I am still left with the following questions:
How do I increase the amount of Hit Point Dice my character can have?
What numbered dice to I use as Hit Point Dice? D20s? D10s? D8s?
Why were these important explanations of their functions during short and long rests left out of their own dedicated descriptions, as well as being completely omitted from the Index?
Why is such a seemingly important mechanic just glazed over in the Handbook?
Are Hit Point Dice ever expended in any other way?
Just writing this thread has made me wonder how other mechanics in this book were given a similar treatment. The book claims on page 5 that "The game's rules have been streamlined" but I had to jump back-and-forth across parts of the book that I shouldn't have to just so I can learn about something so important, and I am still left with more questions than answers about it. This is $50 that I feel like I could've spent on something better.
These rules appear in the Creating a Character section of the PHB. Unfortunately, I do not have a physical copy of the book to say what page they are on. It’s a complicated game that will take some patience on your part as well as time to learn.
Gaining a Level
When you gain a level, follow these steps:
Choose a Class. Most characters advance in the same class. However, you might decide to gain a level in another class using the rules in the “Multiclassing” section later in this chapter.
Adjust Hit Points and Hit Point Dice.Each time you gain a level, you gain an additional Hit Die. Roll that die, add your Constitution modifier to the roll, and add the total (minimum of 1) to your Hit Point maximum. Instead of rolling, you can use the fixed value shown in the Fixed Hit Points by Class table.
Hit Points and Hit Point Dice
You gain the Hit Points from your new class as described for levels after 1. You gain the level 1 Hit Points for a class only when your total character level is 1.
Add together the Hit Dice granted by all your classes to form your pool of Hit Dice. If these dice are the same die type, you can pool them together. For example, both the Fighter and the Paladin have a d10 Hit Die, so if you are a level 5 Fighter / level 5 Paladin, you have ten d10 Hit Dice. If your classes give you Hit Dice of different types, track them separately. If you are a level 5 Cleric / level 5 Paladin, for example, you have five d8 Hit Dice and five d10 Hit Dice.
You get one for every level you have. A L1 character will have 1, a L5 character will have five, a L20 character will have 20, you get the idea.
It depends on your class. Each Class has a Hit Die associated with it (Rogue has d8s, Wizard has d6s, and so forth), which is detailed in the "Core X Traits" at the beginning of each Class' section. If you multiclass, a level in each Class gets you one of that Class' Hit Dice. So if you go, say, Barbarian 3/Fighter 2, you'll have 3d12 and 2d10 Hit Dice.
Because writing rulebooks serves two competing goals - to be clear and concise in guiding new players through the game, and to provide a rules a resource for those that are familiar with the game but don't have eidetic memory. The former demands they lay out information in the order it'll be needed in the game (you need a partial knowledge to construct your character, but need to understand them after your first combat when you have a short rest, you don't want to be flicking back and forth through the book trying to find where the rules are), the latter demands they group it by topic so you have all the information relating to Hit Dice in one place so you can understand the totality of the function. The Rules Glossary tries to get the PHB to suit both needs and actually works pretty well. The STA CRB1e was awful for the "information is over several different pages" issue. I'm pretty sure every time I've parsed a rule on their forums, someone's chimed in with "yes, going by p26, you'd be correct, however, there's a sentence on p342, paragraph 3 that changes how it should be read, so the rule is actually...". I'm glad for the Rules Glossary
See above. There are still things about PHB24e that make me want to tear my hair out, but it has improved.
As a general rule, no, it's the only way. However, specific overrules general, and there are Subclass Features that allow you to use Hit Dice outside of Short Rests. However, I believe it's for the same effects - you don't spend them.to boost damage instead, I think. I've never actually played those Subclasses nor had someone play them at my table, so I'm a bit hazy on it.
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If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
How do I increase the amount of Hit Point Dice my character can have?
What numbered dice to I use as Hit Point Dice? D20s? D10s? D8s?
Why were these important explanations of their functions during short and long rests left out of their own dedicated descriptions, as well as being completely omitted from the Index?
Why is such a seemingly important mechanic just glazed over in the Handbook?
Are Hit Point Dice ever expended in any other way?
1. Your character has as many hit dice as they have levels. So a level 5 character has 5 hit dice. 2. The actual dice used is determined by your class. So if you are a level 5 barbarian you will have 5 D12's as your hit dice pool. Note: Multiclassing makes this a bit trickier. You have as many of a classes hit dice as you have levels in that class. So if you are a level 3 wizard and level 2 fighter you will have 3x D6's and 2x D10's as your hit dice pool.
3. I will have to go read the book again. I come from a 2014 background so didn't notice any issue with how the rules were laid out in the 2024 book. 4. Same as 3. 5. Nothing in the general rules, but there are feats and magic items that make use of hit dice.
"grandpa" Salkur, Gnome Arti/Sorc: Forged in Chaos | Pepin, Human Arti/Cleric: Goblin horde | Mixtli, Volc Genasi Arti: Champions of the Citadel | Erix Vadalitis, Human Druid: Rising from the last war |Smithy, Human Arti: Night Ravens: Black orchids for Biscotti | Tamphalic Aliprax, Dragonborn Wizard: Chronicles of the Accursed | Doc, Dwarven Cleric (2024): Adventure at Hope's End | Abathax, Tiefling Illriger: Hunt for the Balowang | Gorin Mestel, Human Arti: Descend into Avernus
I am new to D&D, and since I wanted to get into the game, I bought the physical version of the 2024 Player's Handbook. I read through the whole thing, and was left with a question about Hit Point Dice: what exactly are they?
The index says they are mentioned on pages 41 and 368, but it also appears on pages 370 under "Long Rest" and 373 under "Short Rest"
On page 41, it mentions that a Level 1 character will have 1 Hit Point Die, and that they can be spent to recover health. That is all that is explained about Hit Point Dice
On page 368, which is in the Rules Glossary, it says that Hit Point Dice can determine a character's hit point maximum, and again that they can be spent during a short rest to regain Hit Points
On page 370, in the Rules Glossary, hidden in the text about Regaining all HP during a long rest, it says that you regain all spent Hit Point Dice. Nowhere else in this book does it mention that Hit Point Dice can even be regained at all. I only saw that this text was here when I was looking back through the book to write this thread. I was going with the assumption that using one was entirely permanent, since it only ever said that they can be lost.
Finally, on page 373, also in the Rules Glossary, it says the following verbatim of what you can do with Hit Point Dice during a short rest: "You can spend one or more of your Hit Point Dice to regain Hit Points. For each Hit Point Die you spend in this way, roll the die and add your Constitution modifier to it. You regain Hit Points equal to the total (minimum of 1 Hit Point)."
This is all that is mentioned about Hit Point Dice in this 384 page book, and I still do not know much about them. I know that each character has at least one, and that they are rolled to heal HP during a Short Rest, and regained during a Long Rest, but I am still left with the following questions:
How do I increase the amount of Hit Point Dice my character can have?
What numbered dice to I use as Hit Point Dice? D20s? D10s? D8s?
Why were these important explanations of their functions during short and long rests left out of their own dedicated descriptions, as well as being completely omitted from the Index?
Why is such a seemingly important mechanic just glazed over in the Handbook?
Are Hit Point Dice ever expended in any other way?
Just writing this thread has made me wonder how other mechanics in this book were given a similar treatment. The book claims on page 5 that "The game's rules have been streamlined" but I had to jump back-and-forth across parts of the book that I shouldn't have to just so I can learn about something so important, and I am still left with more questions than answers about it. This is $50 that I feel like I could've spent on something better.
People can be quite wordy. Hit point dice is just the dice is the same dice you roll for your hit points. For example a Barbarian has a d12 hit point dice and when he rolls for hit points it will be anything between 1-12 hit points. At 2nd level he has 2d12 or two hit dice points and so on.
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I am new to D&D, and since I wanted to get into the game, I bought the physical version of the 2024 Player's Handbook. I read through the whole thing, and was left with a question about Hit Point Dice: what exactly are they?
The index says they are mentioned on pages 41 and 368, but it also appears on pages 370 under "Long Rest" and 373 under "Short Rest"
On page 41, it mentions that a Level 1 character will have 1 Hit Point Die, and that they can be spent to recover health. That is all that is explained about Hit Point Dice
On page 368, which is in the Rules Glossary, it says that Hit Point Dice can determine a character's hit point maximum, and again that they can be spent during a short rest to regain Hit Points
On page 370, in the Rules Glossary, hidden in the text about Regaining all HP during a long rest, it says that you regain all spent Hit Point Dice. Nowhere else in this book does it mention that Hit Point Dice can even be regained at all. I only saw that this text was here when I was looking back through the book to write this thread. I was going with the assumption that using one was entirely permanent, since it only ever said that they can be lost.
Finally, on page 373, also in the Rules Glossary, it says the following verbatim of what you can do with Hit Point Dice during a short rest:
"You can spend one or more of your Hit Point Dice to regain Hit Points. For each Hit Point Die you spend in this way, roll the die and add your Constitution modifier to it. You regain Hit Points equal to the total (minimum of 1 Hit Point)."
This is all that is mentioned about Hit Point Dice in this 384 page book, and I still do not know much about them. I know that each character has at least one, and that they are rolled to heal HP during a Short Rest, and regained during a Long Rest, but I am still left with the following questions:
Just writing this thread has made me wonder how other mechanics in this book were given a similar treatment. The book claims on page 5 that "The game's rules have been streamlined" but I had to jump back-and-forth across parts of the book that I shouldn't have to just so I can learn about something so important, and I am still left with more questions than answers about it. This is $50 that I feel like I could've spent on something better.
These rules appear in the Creating a Character section of the PHB. Unfortunately, I do not have a physical copy of the book to say what page they are on. It’s a complicated game that will take some patience on your part as well as time to learn.
Gaining a Level
When you gain a level, follow these steps:
Hit Points and Hit Point Dice
You gain the Hit Points from your new class as described for levels after 1. You gain the level 1 Hit Points for a class only when your total character level is 1.
Add together the Hit Dice granted by all your classes to form your pool of Hit Dice. If these dice are the same die type, you can pool them together. For example, both the Fighter and the Paladin have a d10 Hit Die, so if you are a level 5 Fighter / level 5 Paladin, you have ten d10 Hit Dice. If your classes give you Hit Dice of different types, track them separately. If you are a level 5 Cleric / level 5 Paladin, for example, you have five d8 Hit Dice and five d10 Hit Dice.
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
1. Your character has as many hit dice as they have levels. So a level 5 character has 5 hit dice.
2. The actual dice used is determined by your class. So if you are a level 5 barbarian you will have 5 D12's as your hit dice pool.
Note: Multiclassing makes this a bit trickier. You have as many of a classes hit dice as you have levels in that class. So if you are a level 3 wizard and level 2 fighter you will have 3x D6's and 2x D10's as your hit dice pool.
3. I will have to go read the book again. I come from a 2014 background so didn't notice any issue with how the rules were laid out in the 2024 book.
4. Same as 3.
5. Nothing in the general rules, but there are feats and magic items that make use of hit dice.
1. https://qlik.nederlandseloterij.nl/sense/app/abd40923-322c-4528-9b15-6744c257f754 shows you what to do when you gain a lvl including gaining hit die
https://qlik.nederlandseloterij.nl/sense/app/abd40923-322c-4528-9b15-6744c257f754 extra explanation for when multiclassing
2. each class shows what hit die to use in its core traits, e.g. for barbarian it shows it right below the picture: https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/phb-2024/character-classes
3. short and long rest explanations show what happens with hit die: https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/free-rules/rules-glossary#LongRest, https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/free-rules/rules-glossary#ShortRest
4. I believe all info is there.
5. Only with specific rules for specific items, feats, classes etc. Not in general.
"grandpa" Salkur, Gnome Arti/Sorc: Forged in Chaos | Pepin, Human Arti/Cleric: Goblin horde | Mixtli, Volc Genasi Arti: Champions of the Citadel | Erix Vadalitis, Human Druid: Rising from the last war | Smithy, Human Arti: Night Ravens: Black orchids for Biscotti | Tamphalic Aliprax, Dragonborn Wizard: Chronicles of the Accursed | Doc, Dwarven Cleric (2024): Adventure at Hope's End | Abathax, Tiefling Illriger: Hunt for the Balowang | Gorin Mestel, Human Arti: Descend into Avernus
People can be quite wordy. Hit point dice is just the dice is the same dice you roll for your hit points. For example a Barbarian has a d12 hit point dice and when he rolls for hit points it will be anything between 1-12 hit points. At 2nd level he has 2d12 or two hit dice points and so on.