How to Calculate Health 5e

Calculating health in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition (5E) involves understanding hit points, hit dice, temporary hit points, and damage/healing mechanics. This guide explains the core concepts and provides a calculator to compute health values for your characters and monsters.

Health Calculation Basics

In D&D 5E, a character's or monster's health is measured in hit points (HP). The basic formula for calculating hit points is:

Hit Points = (Hit Dice × Constitution Modifier) + (Hit Dice × Level)

Where:

Hit Dice is the number of hit dice the creature has (e.g., 1d8 for a fighter)
Constitution Modifier is the creature's Constitution ability score modifier
Level is the creature's level

For example, a level 5 fighter with a Constitution score of 16 (modifier +3) would have:

Hit Dice: 1d10 (fighter's hit die)
Constitution Modifier: +3
Level: 5

The calculation would be: (1d10 × +3) + (1d10 × 5) = 3d10 + 5d10 = 8d10 = 40 HP.

Note that some classes and races have additional rules that modify this calculation. Always check the specific rules for your character or monster.

Hit Dice and Health

Hit dice determine how much health a creature gains when they level up. Each time a creature gains a level, they roll their hit die and add their Constitution modifier to determine how many hit points they gain.

Important: Hit dice are rolled 1d at each level, not all at once. The total hit points are the sum of all these rolls plus Constitution modifiers.

For example, a level 3 fighter with a Constitution modifier of +2 would have:

Level 1: 1d10 + 2 = 12 HP
Level 2: 1d10 + 2 = 8 HP
Level 3: 1d10 + 2 = 6 HP
Total HP: 12 + 8 + 6 = 26 HP

Hit Point Maximum

The maximum hit points a creature can have is determined by their hit dice, Constitution modifier, and level. Some classes and features can increase this maximum beyond the standard calculation.

For example, a level 4 cleric with a Constitution modifier of +1 would have:

Hit Dice: 1d8 (cleric's hit die)
Constitution Modifier: +1
Level: 4

The calculation would be: (1d8 × +1) + (1d8 × 4) = 1d8 + 4d8 = 5d8 = 20 HP.

Temporary Hit Points

Temporary hit points (THP) are a special type of hit points that are lost first when a creature takes damage. They do not count toward a creature's maximum hit points.

For example, if a creature has 20 HP and gains 5 THP, they would have 25 "current" hit points. If they take 3 damage, they would lose all 3 points from the THP first, leaving them with 17 HP and 2 THP.

Note: Temporary hit points do not heal a creature. They are lost when the duration expires or when the creature takes damage.

Damage and Healing

When a creature takes damage, their current hit points are reduced. If their hit points drop to 0, they are unconscious and may need to make death saves.

Healing restores hit points to a creature. Some healing spells and abilities can exceed a creature's maximum hit points, but most cannot.

For example, if a creature has 15 HP and takes 10 damage, they would have 5 HP remaining. If they then receive 8 healing, they would have 13 HP.

Death Saves

When a creature's hit points drop to 0, they become unconscious and must make death saves. A creature makes one death save at the start of each of their turns.

Each death save is a d20 roll:

Roll of 10 or higher: Success
Roll of 9 or lower: Failure

A creature needs 3 successes to become stable and stop making death saves. If a creature suffers 3 failures, they die.

Important: A creature can have a maximum of 3 successes and 3 failures on their death saves. If they reach 3 successes, they stabilize. If they reach 3 failures, they die.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I calculate a character's starting hit points?

To calculate a character's starting hit points, use the formula: (Hit Dice × Constitution Modifier) + (Hit Dice × Level). Roll the hit die once for each level and add the Constitution modifier to each roll.

What happens if a creature's hit points drop to 0?

If a creature's hit points drop to 0, they become unconscious and must make death saves. They can stabilize by getting 3 successes on their death saves or be killed by getting 3 failures.

Can temporary hit points heal a creature?

No, temporary hit points do not heal a creature. They are a special type of hit points that are lost first when a creature takes damage. They do not count toward a creature's maximum hit points.

How do I calculate a monster's hit points?

To calculate a monster's hit points, use the formula: (Hit Dice × Constitution Modifier) + (Hit Dice × Challenge Rating). Roll the hit die once for each level and add the Constitution modifier to each roll.

What is the difference between hit points and temporary hit points?

Hit points are the main measure of a creature's health. Temporary hit points are a special type of hit points that are lost first when a creature takes damage. They do not count toward a creature's maximum hit points.