Quote from: RPGPundit;1108816Thanks, very kind of you!

Thank you for making it!

I like how The Expanse RPG handles their "hit points."  They call them by a more accurate name: Fortune Points, because that's what hit points really are.  Characters start with 15 Fortune Points at level 1 (they can get +5 more if they pick that benefit when selecting a Drive).

From levels 2-10, they go up by 3 per level.  From levels 11-20 (max level), they go up by 2 per level.

Fortune Points serve the following functions:
- Change the facing of one die to a facing of your preference.  Must spend Fortune Points equal to the facing you desire.  Example: one of your d6s (you roll 3d6s) is a 1 and you failed your roll by 3.  You can then spend 3 Fortune Points to change that die from a 1 to a 3.
- Change the facing of your Drama Die to a facing of your preference.  Must spend Fortune Points equal to the facing you desire x2.  The reason it's more expensive is because the Drama Die produces stunt points when you roll doubles, which are used to do special maneuvers.  The Drama Die also determines your degree of success, if it's relevant.
- Reduce the amount of damage you receive.  Your constitution score serves as damage reduction along with any armor you're wearing.  Any leftover damage requires Fortune Points to eliminate (on a 1 per 1 basis).

If you are dealt enough damage that you don't have sufficient Fortune Points to eliminate, you take on the Injured condition and roll 1d6 to further mitigate damage (hoping to mitigate it to zero).  If you still have damage left over, take the Wounded condition and roll 1d6 to further mitigate damage (hoping to mitigate it to zero).  If you still have damage left over, you are taken out, and the nature of the attack determines whether you are Unconscious or Dying.  You can always elect to forgo the damage mitigation roll and be taken out, but on your terms.

You can recover Fortune Points in the following ways:
- Rest for 8 hours to recover 10 + your level in Fortune points
- Engage in a favored activity during an interlude to recover 10 + your level in Fortune points
- Engage in a non-favored activity during an interlude to recover 5 + your level in Fortune points

Recovering from Injured and Wounded conditions have their own rules and that's when medical skills and gear come into play.

For many years I've allowed every PC 5 re-rolls when they are created. They can be used on almost anything: rolling stats, hit points, starting money, hit rolls, saving throws, etc, etc. A new PC will have at least half of their maximum hit points when created (rounded up). So thieves, mages, clerics and fighters will have at least 3,4,5 and 6 hit points (respectively) at first level.

I always liked the stars without number approach, though i have seen it before that game? can't remember where off the top of my head.

Rolling all your hit dice every time you level and if you rolled higher than previous that becomes your new hit point value. It awards luck but things tend to balance out the higher level you become.

Quote from: Graytung;1109161Rolling all your hit dice every time you level and if you rolled higher than previous that becomes your new hit point value. It awards luck but things tend to balance out the higher level you become.

Empire of the Petal Throne (76). It's what I do. It also lets you award extra hit points at first level without the character getting extra hit points at high levels.

Quote from: Elfdart;1109124For many years I've allowed every PC 5 re-rolls when they are created. They can be used on almost anything: rolling stats, hit points, starting money, hit rolls, saving throws, etc, etc. A new PC will have at least half of their maximum hit points when created (rounded up). So thieves, mages, clerics and fighters will have at least 3,4,5 and 6 hit points (respectively) at first level.

That's a cool idea. Hit rolls and saving throws would only be relevant after character creation, so I guess these can be saved; can you say what the proportions are of how the rolls are used? I would expect stats and saving throws to be the most common rerolls, since you can probably fix other things at character creation (like low starting money or hit points) by advancing, and a single to hit roll is probably not going to be decisive while a single failed save can easily mean death.

(Wait; thieves have less hit points than mages?)

#1 for my current Dungeon Crawl Classics game.

I've played in D20 games where you got max hit die for your 1st level and rolled for each level after that.