D&D HP calculator
Pick a class and level. The rolled range is shown alongside the fixed average, because they differ more than most players expect.
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If you rolled instead
How do you calculate HP in D&D 5e?
At level 1 you get the maximum of your class hit die plus your Constitution modifier. At every level after that you add either the fixed average — half the die rounded up, plus one — or a roll, and the Constitution modifier again. A level 5 Fighter with +2 Constitution has 10 + 2, then four lots of 6 + 2, for 44 hit points.
Level 1 is not an average
This is the rule most commonly got wrong, and it matters most at exactly the level where hit points are scarcest.
At first level you take the maximum roll on your hit die. A Barbarian starts with a full 12, not the average of 7. Every level after that is where the choice between rolling and taking the fixed average appears.
The fixed average is half the die rounded up, plus one — so 6 on a d10, 5 on a d8, 4 on a d6. That is deliberately slightly better than a true average roll, which compensates for giving up the chance of a high roll.
The rules as written
Hit dice by class, then a modifier at every level.
level 1 = maximum hit die + Constitution modifiereach level = (fixed average or a roll) + Constitution modifierhit dice: d12 Barbariand10 Fighter, Paladin, Rangerd8 Artificer, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Monk, Rogue, Warlockd6 Sorcerer, Wizardfixed average per level = (die ÷ 2) + 1d12 → 7 d10 → 6 d8 → 5 d6 → 4
The Constitution modifier applies at every level, including the first, and it applies retroactively. Raising Constitution from 14 to 16 at level 8 does not add one hit point — it adds one for each of your eight levels, all at once. That retroactive effect is what makes Constitution the most efficient survivability purchase in the game.
A negative modifier applies just as relentlessly, though total hit points never fall below one per level regardless of how low Constitution goes.
Worked example: a level 5 Fighter with 14 Constitution
A d10 class at level 5, taking the fixed average, with a +2 Constitution modifier.
- Level 1: maximum d10 + 212 HP
- Fixed average per level: (10 ÷ 2) + 16
- Levels 2 to 5: 4 × (6 + 2)32 HP
- Total44 HP
44 hit points at level 5.
Rolling instead would give anywhere from 24 to 60. That spread is why most tables use the fixed average — a run of low rolls leaves a character permanently behind with no way to recover it.
Things that change the number
- The Tough feat adds 2 hit points per level, retroactively and going forward
- Dwarven Toughness adds 1 per level
- Draconic Sorcerers gain 1 extra per sorcerer level
- Multiclassing uses each class's own hit die for its own levels, with maximum only at character level 1
- Temporary hit points sit on top and are not added into the total here
Multiclassing is the case worth flagging: you take the maximum die only once, for your very first level. Every level in a second class uses the average or a roll like any other.
Assumptions and limits
- Uses the 2014 Player's Handbook rules, which most tables still play
- Assumes a single class; multiclass characters need each class calculated separately
- Constitution is treated as constant across levels — raising it mid-career adds retroactively
- Does not model temporary hit points, damage resistance or racial variants beyond those listed
- Your DM's house rules beat any calculator
Common questions
Do you take max HP at level 1 in 5e?
Yes. Level 1 always uses the maximum roll of your class hit die, plus your Constitution modifier. A Wizard starts with 6 plus modifier, a Barbarian with 12 plus modifier. Only levels after the first involve averaging or rolling.
Should I roll or take the average?
Most tables use the fixed average, because rolling has a real chance of leaving a character permanently behind with no mechanism to fix it. The fixed average is also slightly generous — 6 on a d10 rather than the true average of 5.5 — which compensates for giving up the upside.
Does Constitution apply retroactively?
Yes, and this is the important part. Raising Constitution from 14 to 16 at level 8 grants one hit point for every level you have, all at once. That is why Constitution is the most efficient survivability investment available.
How does the Tough feat work?
It grants 2 hit points per character level, applied retroactively when you take it and continuing at each level after. At level 10 that is a flat 20 hit points, which is roughly two levels of a d8 class.
How does multiclassing affect HP?
Each class contributes its own hit die for its own levels. You only take a maximum die once, at character level 1 in your starting class. Every subsequent level, in either class, uses the average or a roll.
Where these numbers come from
- D&D Beyond — Basic Rules, hit points and hit dice The official free rules covering hit dice by class and the level-up procedure.
Last verified 2026-08-01 The method on this page is checked against the sources above at least once a year. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.
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