[RPG] What does “Summoned creature has maximum hit points” actually mean

dnd-5ehit-pointsprinces-of-the-apocalypsepublished-adventuressummoning

I'm running Princes of the Apocalypse for my group, and they're about to encounter their first elemental prince, Yan-C-Bin (p. 220). I see that he has the following ability:

Summon Elementals (1/Day). Yan-C-Bin summons up to three air elementals and loses 30 hit points for each elemental he summons. Summoned elementals have maximum hit points, appear within 100 feet of Yan-C-Bin, and disappear if Yan-C-Bin is reduced to 0 hit points.

The part I'm confused about is "maximum hit points." Air elementals have their hit points listed as "90 (12d10+24)" in their stat block.

Is this line meant to make sure people are deploying a fully-healed air elemental as opposed to one with 30 HP (regardless of whether they use the average hit points or they actually roll their hit dice), or is it meant to convey that these are extremely robust air elementals and each should have the maximum possible hit points as decided by the hit dice, 144 (120+24), and the fully-healed part is implied?

Best Answer

It means that the elementals will have 144 Hit Points

If the designers instead wanted the air elementals to have rolled or average hit points they could have said:

Summoned elementals have their normal hit points

But instead they've specified that they have "maximum hit points". This comes down to an English reading then, and to me this would mean the elementals have "the highest hit points they normally can have" which, as you've pointed out, is 120+24 or 144.

This depends upon which option the DM is using.

The 5E rules have 2 official variations:

Max at first and rolled after (PHB 12 & 15)
Max at first, and average rounded up thereafter. (PHB 15)

Note that average for a die is (minimum + maximum)/2. For all even dice, this ends in a half (a _.5). The same effect can be done by dividing the maximum, then adding 1... 0.5 for the average, and 0.5 for the round up...

Standard

If the stock option is used: at level 1, take the type of die (eg d8) and you get the number of sides + your con bonus (so if mr d8 HD had con 10, he'd get 8). Each level therafter, you roll the HD and add it to the maximum.

Option (and Adventurer's League)

If the stock alternative is used... At first level, still the number of sides plus Con bonus. (Number of sides)+(Con mod). At later levels, 1+((number of sides)/2) + (Con mod) for each level.

Multiclassing

Only the first class taken gets "1st level HP"... if you multiclass into another, you still roll (or take the reduced amount.

Handy Chart

HD Type	1st HD	Standard Later HD	Variant Later HD
d4	4	+1d4 ea	+3 ea
d6	6	+1d6 ea	+4 ea
d8	8	+1d8 ea	+5 ea
d10	10	+1d10 ea	+6 ea
d12	12	+1d12 ea	+7 ea
d20	20	+1d20 ea	+11 ea

Note that only monsters use d4 and d20 HD. Con Mod multiplied by level is added to the total (effectively it modifies each die).

Common other variations not in the rules

Rolled at level 1:

just roll the die each level, add con bonus. Not common anymore.

Rolled at 1 but with minimum.

Roll the hit die at level 1, but if less than the variant's listed HP/die, raise it to that. So, fred is level 1, and rolls a 6 on his d10. He keeps it. Jojo also rolls, but gets a 2 on his d10. It raises to a 6. At higher levels, most DM's using this option do not allow raising.

Some Examples

Fred Fighter

Fred is a fighter. He's level 3. He's using the alternate, because he's in an Adventurer's League Game. He has a Con of 14, for +2.

At Level 1: 10 (the sides of the die) + 2 (the con mod) = 12
At level 2: he adds 6 (the "hit die") +2 (the con mod) = 12+8 = 20
At level 3: he adds 6 + 2 (just like level 2) for 20 + 8 = 28 total.

Billy Barbarian

Billy's in a campaign using the standard rules. He's 6th level, and Con 16 (+3)

At first level, he gets maximum: 12 (Die sides) +3 (Con Mod) = 15
Level 2: He rolls a 3 on the d12, and adds his con mod of +3. That's 6. 15+6=21
Level 3: He Rolls a 9 on the d12. Con mod again +3. That's 12 this level. 21 + 12 = 33
Level 4: He rolls a 5. Con mod is a +3... he's adding 8. Total is 33+8 = 41 max HP
Level 5: He rolls a 12. Con again:+3. Total 15. 41 +15 = 56.

Charlie Changer

Charlie is 6th level... but went Wizard to 3rd, then fighter to third, then cleric for 7th.. he's also con 8 (-1)... Campaign is using the alternate only.

Level 1: wizard is d6, con is -1, so 6-1 = 5
Level 2: wizard is +4, con is -1, so +3, so 5 +3 = 8
Level 3: Wizard is +4, con is -1, so +3, so 8 + 3 is 11
Level 4: Fighter is d10, for +6. Con is -1, so is +5; so also 11+5 = 16
Level 5: Fighter is +6, Con is -1, so is +5, so is 16 +5 = 21
Level 6: Fighter is +6, Con is -1, so is +5, so is 21 +5 = 26
Level 7: Cleric is d8, for +5. Con is -1, so +4, so 26+4 = 30.

Note: Con penalty applies every level, too. And at level 4, the character is level 4, so only gets the per level "fixed roll values"

[RPG] What happens if a petrified creature drops to 0 hit points

The creature would make normal death saving throws at 0 hit points. Their corpse would remain inanimate material after being killed. The stone form persists until properly cured as per the petrification description in the monster's ability or the spell wears off on its own (e.g. flesh to stone).

The Petrified condition states:

A petrified creature is transformed, along with any nonmagical object it is wearing or carrying, into a solid inanimate substance (usually stone). Its weight increases by a factor of ten, and it ceases aging.

The creature is incapacitated (see the condition), can’t move or speak, and is unaware of its surroundings.

Attack rolls against the creature have advantage.

The creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws.

The creature has resistance to all damage.

The creature is immune to poison and disease, although a poison or disease already in its system is suspended, not neutralized.

At 0 hit points, they would begin making death saves as normal. The petrified condition does not modify the death and dying mechanics.