Simone Lawson
In role-playing games such as Pathfinder, a character's Constitution score represents their health and stamina. A bonus to this score increases a character's hit points, which are important for all classes. A negative Constitution modifier can decrease a character's starting hit points, but the rules state that a character's hit points cannot drop below 1 when they advance in level. This means that a character with a negative Constitution modifier will always gain at least 1 hit point each time they level up. For example, a first-level bard with an 8 Constitution (-1 modifier) would have 7 hit points (8 + -1 = 7). While it is possible for a character to die from losing hit points as they gain new levels, it would require a very low Constitution score and consistently poor dice rolls.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Constitution represents | Character's health and stamina |
| A Constitution bonus | Increases a character's hit points |
| Creatures without a Constitution score | Undead and constructs |
| Their modifier | +0 for any Constitution-based checks |
| Character with a Constitution score of 0 | Dead |
| Constitution modifier applied to | Each roll of a Hit Die |
| Fortitude Saving Throws | For resisting poison, disease, and similar threats |
| Negative Constitution modifier | Applicable when gaining a level |
| Minimum hit points with each level | 1 |
| Death by Constitution score | Reaches 0 |
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What You'll Learn
A negative Constitution modifier still applies
In Pathfinder, a negative Constitution modifier still applies when determining a character's hit points (HP). Constitution represents a character's health and stamina, and a bonus in this area increases a character's HP.
When creating a character, their starting HP is determined by the highest number on their class' hit dice, plus their Constitution modifier. For example, a first-level bard with an 8 Constitution (-1 modifier) would have 7 hit points (8 + -1 = 7 HP). It is important to note that a character with a Constitution score of 0 is dead.
Each time a character gains a level, they gain an additional Hit Die. They roll that die and add their Constitution modifier to the roll, then add the total to their hit point maximum. However, there is a minimum of 1 HP gained per level, meaning that even with a negative Constitution modifier, a character will not lose HP when levelling up. This rule is consistent across all levels, and a character's HP cannot drop below 1 due to a negative Constitution modifier.
While a negative Constitution modifier can decrease a character's starting HP, it is unlikely for a character to start with 0 or negative HP. This would require an extremely low Constitution score, which is challenging to achieve, even with poor dice rolls. Additionally, some races may have penalties on Constitution, which can result in a lower starting score. However, even with a negative modifier, a character will not die solely due to their Constitution modifier; they would need to take damage or drain that reduces their HP to a negative value relative to their Constitution score.
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A character with a Constitution score of 0 is dead
In the game Pathfinder, a character's Constitution score represents their health and stamina. A high Constitution score is beneficial, as it increases a character's hit points and makes them more resilient.
Some creatures in the game, such as undead and constructs, do not have a Constitution score. These creatures are treated as having a score of 10 for any Constitution-based checks, with no bonus or penalty applied.
For characters with a Constitution score, the implications of a low score can be severe. If a character's Constitution score drops to 0, they die. This is because the Constitution score is tied to a character's health, and a score of 0 indicates a complete lack of health and stamina.
Additionally, any damage to a character's Constitution score can have negative consequences. For example, penalties may be applied to Fortitude Saving Throws, making the character more susceptible to poison, disease, and similar threats. If the damage to a character's Constitution score equals or exceeds their current score, the character will die.
It is worth noting that a character's Constitution score can be healed, restoring lost hit points. This can be achieved through various means, such as the use of spells or the passage of time. However, a character with a Constitution score of 0 cannot be resurrected through typical means, as they are considered truly dead.
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A negative modifier doesn't kill you
In Pathfinder, a negative Constitution modifier doesn't kill your character outright. Constitution represents your character's health and stamina, and a bonus increases a character's hit points, making it important for all classes. A character with a Constitution score of 0 is dead, but a negative modifier can be applied to a character with a score above 0.
When you gain a level, you gain 1 additional Hit Die. You roll that Hit Die, add your Constitution modifier to the roll, and add the total (with a minimum of 1) to your hit point maximum. This means that even with a negative Constitution modifier, your character will not start the game with less than 1 max HP. For example, a first-level bard with an 8 Constitution (-1 modifier) would have 8 + -1 = 7 hit points.
However, a negative Constitution modifier can decrease your starting hit points. Each time you gain a level, the negative modifier still applies, but you cannot gain less than 1 HP. This means that your character will always gain at least 1 hit point each time they advance in level, even with a negative Constitution modifier.
It's important to note that damage to your Constitution score causes penalties on your Fortitude saving throws. Additionally, you multiply your total Hit Dice by the Ability Damage penalty and subtract that amount from your current and total hit points. Lost hit points due to Constitution damage can be restored through healing.
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You can't start the game with less than 1 max HP
When determining your character's hit points in Pathfinder, you typically roll a hit die for their class, adding their Constitution modifier to the result. However, it's important to note that you can't begin the game with less than 1 maximum HP. If your Constitution modifier is negative and reduces your roll result to 0 or lower, you still start with 1 hit point.
For instance, let's say you're creating a frail wizard with a Constitution score of 8. This results in a Constitution modifier of -1. When determining their hit points, you roll the wizard's hit die, which is a d6. If you happen to roll a 1 on the die, your character's Constitution modifier would normally reduce this to 0. However, in this case, you would still have 1 maximum HP to start the game.
This rule ensures that all characters, regardless of their Constitution scores, have a minimum level of resilience at the outset of the game. While a low Constitution score will impact your character's overall survivability, it doesn't preclude them from participating in the adventure. Even with a single hit point, your character can still take part in the story, interact with the world, and contribute to the party's endeavors.
Additionally, this rule simplifies gameplay mechanics and maintains the pace of the game. Allowing characters to start with 0 or negative hit points could introduce complexities and slow down gameplay, particularly during early levels when character resources are limited. By ensuring every character starts with at least 1 hit point, the game encourages player engagement and forward momentum in the narrative.
In summary, while Pathfinder incorporates the realism of negative Constitution modifiers, it also strikes a balance with gameplay mechanics. By ensuring that every character starts with at least 1 hit point, the game maintains a functional baseline for character participation and storytelling potential. This rule underscores the importance of careful character creation and strategic gameplay as you navigate the challenges that lie ahead.
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A character with a negative Constitution score can die from loss of hit points as they gain new levels
In role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons (DnD), a character's Constitution score is an important attribute that represents their health and stamina. A character with a negative Constitution score will have fewer hit points (HP), making them more vulnerable in combat and prone to dying from HP loss as they advance in levels.
When a character gains a level, their maximum HP increases by their Hit Dice plus their Constitution modifier. If a character has a negative Constitution modifier and rolls poorly, they may lose HP or even die outright when levelling up. This scenario is possible but unlikely, as it requires multiple unfavourable factors to align. Firstly, the character must have a poor Constitution score, which could be due to their race having a penalty on Constitution. Secondly, they would need to consistently roll poorly for each level, resulting in a loss of HP instead of gaining the minimum of 1 HP as specified in the Player's Handbook (PHB) errata.
For example, let's consider a Level 1 Wizard with Hit Dice of 1d6 and a Constitution modifier of -5. Their starting HP is 1. When they reach Level 2, they add 1d6 - 5 to their max HP. If they roll a 3 on the Hit Dice and add their Constitution modifier, their new HP would be -1, resulting in their death. However, according to the PHB errata, even with a negative Constitution modifier, a character will still gain a minimum of 1 HP each level. This rule prevents characters from dying due to HP loss when levelling up.
Despite the PHB errata, some players choose to ignore it to maintain consistency in their games. In such cases, a character with a negative Constitution modifier could theoretically accumulate negative HP at each level until they reach zero HP and die. This scenario underscores the importance of carefully considering a character's attributes and the potential consequences of a low Constitution score.
In summary, while it is possible for a character with a negative Constitution score to die from HP loss as they gain new levels, it is an uncommon occurrence due to the minimum HP gain rule in the PHB errata. Players and Dungeon Masters (DMs) should be mindful of the rules and the potential impact of their character's attributes on their gameplay experience.
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Frequently asked questions
You start with hit points equal to the highest roll of your class' hit die, as indicated in your class description. Then, you add your Constitution modifier. If you have a negative Constitution modifier, this still applies, but your HP cannot be less than 1.
A character with a Constitution score of 0 is dead. If your Constitution stat reaches 0 from damage or drain, you die. In Pathfinder, you die if your HP is negative your current Constitution score. For example, if you have 8 Constitution, you die at -8HP.
Constitution represents your character's health and stamina. A Constitution bonus increases a character's hit points, so the ability is important for all classes.
