Roll Hit Points

Hit dice by class

The average roll is half a point lower: 3.5, 4.5, 5.5 and 6.5. Pick your die above, set your Constitution modifier, and roll.

Roll or take the fixed value?

At 1st level you get the die's maximum. After that, each level you either roll the hit die or take the fixed value, then add your Constitution modifier either way.

The fixed value is half a point better than the average roll. Exactly half the faces on every hit die meet or beat it, and the other half fall short:

So any single roll is a coin flip you can't win on average. A barbarian can roll a 12 or a 1. Many tables pick one rule for everybody.

Over a whole career

Nineteen level-ups from 1st to 20th, before Constitution:

"Rolling wins" is the chance that 19 rolls add up to more than 19 fixed values (counted exactly over every outcome). Rolled characters end up 9.5 hit points behind on average. Bigger dice give the gamble better odds, but it never reaches even.

Working out your hit points

Hit points = die maximum + Con modifier at 1st level, then (fixed value or roll) + Con modifier for every level after.

A 5th-level fighter with Constitution 14 (+2), taking the fixed value: 10 + 2, then 4 × (6 + 2), for 44 hit points.

Hit dice on a short rest

You have as many hit dice as your level. On a short rest you can spend some, rolling each one and adding your Constitution modifier to heal that much; decide after each roll whether to spend another. A long rest gives back up to half your total hit dice (at least one).

Questions

What is the average hit points per level in 5e?

The fixed value: 4 for a d6, 5 for a d8, 6 for a d10, 7 for a d12, plus your Constitution modifier. That is half the die plus one, slightly above the true average roll.

Should I roll for hit points or take the average?

Take the fixed value if you want the most hit points over time: it beats the average roll by half a point every level. Roll if your table enjoys the swing. Over 19 level-ups a rolling barbarian ends up ahead only 25.5% of the time.

Do you roll hit points at 1st level?

No. At 1st level you take the hit die's maximum plus your Constitution modifier: 12 for a barbarian, 6 for a wizard, before Con.

What hit die does each class use?

Barbarian d12. Fighter, Paladin and Ranger d10. Bard, Cleric, Druid, Monk, Rogue and Warlock d8. Sorcerer and Wizard d6.

How do hit points work when multiclassing?

You only get the maximum at your very first character level. Levels in a new class use that class's hit die, rolled or fixed, plus your Constitution modifier.

Is this hit points roller fair?

Yes. Each die comes from your browser's cryptographic random number generator with no bias towards any face, so a d12 is an even 1 to 12.

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