You get too few hit points as a FMC

Malinor

The maximum hit points of a fighter/mage is 7 points per level before constitution bonuses. If you add a cleric to the mix, you should get more hit points, because the maximum of a cleric is 8 points per level. And 8 > 7. But no, the total hit points is even less, 6 hit points per level. Moreover, the character sheet even says, that your total maximum is +7 per level. But it isn't. In the beginning you get 7 hit points, which is correct. But after that +6 per level.

The mechanism should maybe save the decimal points to the next level up and add them to the total.

sarevok57

thats because when you multiclass you get half HP per class for 2 classes and third HP per class for triple classes, this is just the rules of 2nd edition

so that is why a fighter mage will have 7 HP at level 1 ( 5 HP from fighter, 2 HP from mage )

but fighter/mage/cleric will have 6 HP at level 1 ( 3 HP from fighter, 2 HP from cleric, 1 HP from mage )

jmerry

For a multiclass character, this is how hit points at a new level are calculated:

First, determine the base hit points gained if you were leveling up in that class. Either roll for hit points, take the maximum, or take a fixed number based on level and settings.
Then, divide by the number of classes, rounding down with a minimum of 1.

Example: a fighter/mage/cleric has just reached 4500 total XP and cleric level 2. You're planying on "normal" difficulty, so hit points are maximum. That's 8 points for a cleric level, divided by 3; round down, and you get 2 HP.

Now there's one added wrinkle: if you take multiple levels during character creation, you add the hit point gains together before rounding down. That's what happens with a first level F/M/C. Total hit points (10+4+8)/3 = 22/3, rounded down to 7. If the levels were taken individually, you would get (10/3) + (4/3) + (8/3), rounded to 3+2+1=6.
(Incorrect example hidden)

So, then, if you took a level 1 F/M/C and instantly leveled them to the BGEE maximum of 161K XP and level 6/6/6 with maximum HP on, you would end up with a total of 43 HP. If you took all of those levels individually, you would end up with a total of 37 HP.

For example, a FMC started in SoA has 89K XP and levels 5/5/6. That's good for (10*5+4*5+8*6)/3 = 118/3 = 39 HP. A FMC leveled up in BG1 to the same point would have 7+3*4+1*4+2*5=33 HP instead.

Constitution bonuses are determined separately and added to the total later. Take your bonus from Con, multiply it by your average level (capped at 9, or 10 for mage/thieves), and round the total down. For example, Jaheira starts BG2 with 17 Con and levels 6/7. She gets 3*6.5=19.5, rounded down to 19 bonus HP from Con. These Con bonuses are updated dynamically any time your level or Con score changes.

As for what "should" happen ... there's no place in the creature files to store fractional hit points.

sarevok57

hmm weird, so i just tested it, and with a fighter/mage/cleric at level 1 you start with 7 HP ( this is with 12 con, so no HP bonus )

but then i skipped straight to 161000 XP and ended up with 37 HP ( i have max HP per level on )

so with even more testing it looks like this is how it works;

at level one it will do the 10+8+4 = 22/3 to get the "7" base HP at level 1

but then every level afterwards regardless even if you are skipping them or not you just get either the 3, 2 or 1 HP per class

weird

jmerry

OK, confirmed. That was a quick test. You're right, levels don't get combined together after the start.

On the other hand, a neutral-Con FMC starts SoA at level 5/5/6 and 39 HP, 6 ahead of the BG1 version at that level. Bump them to 750K XP and level 9/10/9, and that goes up to 62. 3*4+1*4+2*3+1=23 HP gained.
Similarly, a FMC started in ToB is level 11/12/11 with 71 HP. Let's see ... (9*10+2*3+9*8+3*2+10*4+1*1)/3 = 215/3 = 71. Yep.

All right, the corrected rule on multiclass hit points. Levels gained in the character creation process will be averaged. Levels gained in gameplay will always be taken separately.