Hit Points
You have a maximum number of hit points equal to: (5 + Constitution) x level.
You also get a bonus amount of hit points based on size (minimum of 1 hp): fine (-10), diminutive (-5), tiny (+0), small (+5), medium (+10), large (+20), huge (+40), gargantuan (+80), colossal (+160). Adjusting your size temporarily, such as through shapeshifting, treats the the bonus hit points as temporary hit points and you suffer no penalty in hit points for shrinking only temporarily.
INJURY AND RECOVERY
Losing hit points represents injury or ailment or nearing such things. For example, a glancing blow rather than a direct hit. Critical hits, conditions, and dropping to half max hit points or lower typically always represents noticeable harm. If you run out of hit points, your character is gravely wounded and may even perish.
Recovery
A short rest restores a number of hit points equal to your level. A long rest restores all hit points. Some special abilities can restore hit points at the cost of focus and/or surges.
Injury
Negative conditions such as a broken leg, disease, poison, etc. may take longer to recover from based on the condition's description.
SHIELDING
Also known as "temporary hit points", shielding is a pool of points that function as hit points. You lose shielding before losing any hit points. If you get shielding from multiple sources or instances, only the highest single one applies. Shielding lasts only up to 1 minute before disappearing, unless noted otherwise by the effect providing them. Healing doesn't restore shielding.
DAMAGE
The damage types follow, with examples to help a GM assign a damage type to a new effect.
- Bludgeoning damage is caused by blunt force trauma.
- Cold damage is caused by extremely low temperatures.
- Corrosive damage is caused by caustic chemical burns, be they acidic or basic.
- Electricity damage is caused by high voltage electrical currents.
- Heat damage is caused by high temperatures deal heat damage.
- Ion damage is effective against most silicon-based and synthetic lifeforms and electronic devices. Ion effects are often referred to as "electromagnetic" but they extend to other fields of energy as well as they can disrupt force effects.
- Mental damage represents stress, insanity, mental fatigue, emotional trauma, phobias, compulsions, memory loss, psychic damage, and other problems of the psyche.
- Nonlethal attacks
- Piercing damage is caused by deep gouging wounds.
- Slashing damage is caused by lacerations and cuts.
- Sonic damage is caused by debilitating noises and vibrations.
- Stamina damage is caused by loss of nutrients or vital resources such as blood loss, exhaustion, fatigue, sleep loss, starvation, suffocation, or thirst. Even inorganic creatures such as androids can run low on battery power, fuel, or lubricant for their hydraulic parts.
- Toxic damage is causes by poison, venom, and other toxic effects.
DAMAGE RESISTANCE AND VULNERABILITY
Some creatures and objects are exceedingly difficult or unusually easy to hurt with certain types of damage.
Minor Resistance: You have advantage on saves against it and take half damage. You're immune if the effect tier is lower than half your level -2.
Major Resistance: As minor but you also reduce the damage by your level after halving it. You're immune if the effect tier is lower than half your level.
Immunity: You're truly immune regardless of tier. You must have the appropriate creature type and vulnerability to an opposing effect to acquire immunity to anything.
Vulnerability: You're hurt by something humanoids normally are not harmed by.
Weakness: Functions like minor and major resistance but in reverse suffering disadvantage and taking additional damage (double damage + level).
STACKING
Multiple instances of resistance or vulnerability do not stack but vulnerability and resistance do cancel each other out treating major resistance/vulnerability as effectively two resistances/vulnerabilities.
HEALING & TEMPORARY HIT POINTS
Unless it results in death, damage isnÂ’t permanent. Rest and medical procedures can restore a creatureÂ’s hit points. When a creature receives healing of any kind, hit points regained are added to its current hit points. A creatureÂ’s hit points canÂ’t exceed its hit point maximum, so any hit points regained in excess of this number are lost. A creature that has died canÂ’t regain hit points unless something restores it to life.
FADING
When you drop to 0 hit points or 0 focus points, you gain the Fading condition.
INSTANT DEATH
When damage reduces you to 0 hit points and there is damage remaining, you die if the remaining damage equals or exceeds your hit point maximum.
KNOCKOUT
An attacker that wants to knockout a target instead of killing them needs only to declare doing so upon making their attack. If the attack would normally kill the target, they fall unconscious instead.
MEDICAL AID
You can use an action to administer first aid to a creature, which requires proper tools and a successful DC 11 Wisdom (Biotics) check, or an Intellect (Mechanics) check for an android or construct. The target can use your check as their next saving throw result against whatever wounds or ailments they suffer from or can make their own saving throw normally, but with advantage thanks to your assistance.
MONSTERS AND DEATH
Most GMs have a monster die the instant it drops to 0 hit points, rather than having it fall unconscious and make death saving throws. Mighty villains and special nonplayer characters are common exceptions; the GM might have them follow the same rules as player characters.