Remove Random HP Rollsl

[Hound]

I want to put forward a suggestion for removing random HP rolls, and just automatically setting all HP rolls to their maximum available value.

My primary argument for this is just because the existence of random HP rolls is incongruent with the rest of the character progression system. HP is, by and large, the main defensive asset of melee classes such as the Barbarian, Fighter and Paladin. On the surface, it seems pretty reasonable to include HP rolls - it makes every character have a unique value and maintains that characteristic RNG from dice rolling that D&D is known for - but dig a little deeper and it stops making sense when you compare HP as a defensive asset with the assets available to spellcasters.

A wizard, at 10 CON and no Toughness feat, has a maximum HP pool of 32 at level 8. His minimum HP pool is 22, accounting for the 3 max HP rolls from levels 1-3. This gives him a potential HP disparity of 10 points, which - while certainly worrisome in a high intensity fight with lots of healing flying around where those hit points could make the crucial difference between chugging a CSW and being subdued - is certainly not nearly as debilitating as the Barbarian's HP disparity. The Barbarian has a maximum health pool of 96 and a minimum of 66, making for a HP disparity of 30 - more than three times that which can affect a wizard. Whilst some might argue that losing 10 HP is not an enormous problem, anyone is going to blanch at the prospect of missing a whopping 30 HP from their pool, which is almost half the health of a minimum HP Barbarian at 8.

With this established, I want to point out what makes the system incongruous with the rest of character progression. Does a monk receive variable rolls on her saving throws, or her AC bonus, or the extra amount of damage potentially available for her fist weapons? These are the primary advantages that a monk possesses - a significant resilience to debilitating effects thanks to universally high saving throws - that is only differentiated from character to character by the level attained, the loot possessed and the scores selected at character creation. These are all values that are ultimately controlled by player agency, and the player's ability to gain strength and equip his character for combat.

Rogues do not receive variable amounts of skill points on level up - they receive a set value, based on their intellect, that is the same every time. Wizards and Sorcerers do not receive variable amounts of spell slots - they attain the same amount of spells, and no degree of randomness is involved in this; if I build a Wizard with the same stat scores as another Wizard and reach the same level as him, I am guaranteed to have an identical number of spells available to me - not accounting for loot. If I build a Barbarian, however, and follow an identical build to another Barbarian I have the potential of having almost a third less HP than his total, for reasons completely outside of my control. I fail to see why this should be the case, seeing as - much as the ability to cast a 4th level Stoneskin and Improved Invisibility a reliable, set number of times is the defensive asset of a Wizard - the defensive asset of a Barbarian should be a reliably large HP pool with which he can soak up damage thrown at him whilst he deals out his own.

EFU is a roleplaying server, and I get that there may be a general phobia/discomfort on wrangling with the minutiae of mechanics such as this in favour of realism, but EFU roleplay operates within the parameters of the D&D system. This system should be consistent with its own paradigms, and endeavour to maintain a degree of equality between the viability of different classes - if not between one another (Wizards are undeniably the most powerful class on EFU, and with good roleplaying reason) then between themselves at least. One warrior-class character should not be more powerful than another for reasons uncontrolled by player agency. Power should be determined by level attained, loot possessed, supply available and the player's mechanical proficiency - not by how much HP the system decides to spit out at you without taking into account any of your PC's characteristics or nuance.

And, yes, 30 HP isn't a huge amount either. Any player worth his salt can overcome a deficiency of HP through chugging that one extra healing potion than the other guy, but its the principle of incongruous disparity that I want to address more than the aggrieved unlucky Barbarian. It is - to use another luck-based analogy - the same as pitching a poker player against his opponent with less chips than his counterpart because a dice said so, even though the rest of the game revolves specifically around a hybrid of tactics and chance. There is no tactical decision-making in HP roll - other than killing yourself to retake the level.

Let's get rid of 'Barricade Madness'.