HP Pools
Victory in a combat encounter comes down to reducing the enemy's Hit Points (HP) to zero. However, calculating HP isn't just a matter of assigning a random number to your Horror. Instead, each encounter has a pool of enemy HP that the Hunters need to deplete to emerge victorious. The distribution of this HP pool amongst the Horrors will depend on their assigned roles.
To calculate an encounter's HP pool, use the highest Horror level in the encounter to find the base value in the table below. Add a number of six-sided dice equal to the highest Core Modifier (CM) among its Horrors, with a minimum of one die. The highest level and highest CM need not belong to the same creature.
The pool is a budget for assigning maximum HP before the encounter, not a shared supply of health during the fight. Once assigned, each Horror loses and regains its own HP independently.
If you want to tweak the difficulty, you can modify the type or number of dice to adjust the HP pool.
| Level | HP Pool |
|---|---|
| 0 | 4 |
| 1/8 | 5 |
| 1/4 | 8 |
| 1/2 | 10 |
| 1 | 16 |
| 2 | 30 |
| 3 | 46 |
| 4 | 64 |
| 5 | 80 |
| 6 | 100 |
| 7 | 120 |
| 8 | 140 |
| 9 | 170 |
| 10 | 190 |
| 11 | 220 |
| 12 | 250 |
| 13 | 280 |
| 14 | 310 |
| 15 | 350 |
| 16 | 380 |
| 17 | 420 |
| 18 | 460 |
| 19 | 500 |
| 20 | 540 |
| 21 | 580 |
| 22 | 630 |
| 23 | 670 |
| 24 | 720 |
| 25 | 770 |
Remember, just because a Horror has a lot of HP doesn't mean it's invincible. The Hunters may still outsmart it, or use its weaknesses to their advantage.
Dividing the Pool
Use these starting allocations unless you deliberately choose a different balance:
- One Solo: Give it the whole pool.
- Group Horrors only: Divide the pool equally among them.
- Elites with Group Horrors: Give half the pool, rounded down, to the Elites as a set, and the remainder to the Group Horrors. Divide each share equally among the creatures receiving it.
- Elites only: Divide the whole pool equally among them.
- Multiple Solos or unusual combinations: Choose a custom allocation rather than treating each Solo as entitled to the entire pool.
When a share does not divide evenly, round each creature's allocation down, then distribute the leftover HP one at a time within that share, highest Horror level first. The Overseer chooses the order of ties. Every participating Horror must receive at least 1 HP. If an allocation cannot provide that, change the budget or composition explicitly before play.
For example, a pool of 52 HP with one Elite and three Group Horrors gives the Elite 26 HP. The Group Horrors split the other 26 as 9, 9, and 8 HP. Mark those values separately. Hurting the Elite does not injure its followers.
These are encounter-building defaults, not a guarantee that every mixed-level group is equally dangerous. Abilities, weaknesses, terrain, and sheer numbers can make a modest pool feel very large.
Overseer: "The monstrous creature emerges from the shadows, its eyes glowing ominously in the dim light."
Amy: "Okay, I aim for its eyes and shoot!"
Overseer: "You hit, dealing a significant amount of damage. But the creature is far from down. It seems this Horror is much bigger than the ones you've faced before."
John: "Hey, we all put on a few extra pounds sometimes. No need to point it out."