A Hit Point, also shown as "Hit Points" and abbreviated as HP - is a numerical value assigned to all creatures in the Baldur's Gate franchise that determines how much "health" they have (or life force), and thusly how much damage they can accumulate before they die. A Hit Point modifier or value are categorized as either Maximum hit points or Current hit points.

Maximum hit points are the total number hit points a creature is permitted to have when fully healthy, and is based upon their experience level, class, and other factors. Whilst certain effects can temporarily boost this value, the only true way to increase this value is by leveling up.

Current hit points, in comparison, denotes how many hit points out of their maximum hit point value a creature has at the present moment. This decreases as they take damage and increases as they receive healing. Some spells or items can boost or decrease a creature's current HP, and some of these will only have a temporary duration.

Certain spells can only apply if the characters current hit points are below a certain maximum. For example, Power Word, Stun only works if the target's current HP are below 90. Maximum HP doesn't matter here, only the current HP, so a creature with higher HP can be damaged until it is below the threshold and then the spell can apply.

The quantity of hit points that a creature receives is governed by the Hit Dice mechanic. It is also affected by the Constitution ability score.

When a creature's HP goes down to 0 or below, it dies. If this happens to the main character, the game is over. Companions can be revived by spells or temples, except if they are brought to -10 HP or lower by the final hit ("chunked"), at which point they become permanently dead and are removed from the party forever.

Certain enemies, like Trolls, can only be killed with certain damage types; otherwise, if they go down to 1 HP, they fall unconscious but won't die, and slowly regenerate back up.

Methods to increase Hit Points

In addition to leveling up and getting more hit dice, HP can also be increased in other ways:

Permanent HP increases:

• Find Familiar spell, can be cast by arcane casters (Mage, Sorcerer, Bard), Beast Master as well as Thief with Use Any Item. Gives a permanent HP boost to the protagonist, as long as the Familiar is alive (talk to the Familiar and put it in your backpack so it can't die). Gives HP depending on the Familiar's own - the caster gets an increase equivalent to half of their max HP -, which means Imps give less HP than the other Familiars and that the caster gets more HP in Shadows of Amn and then in Throne of Bhaal, where Familiars are higher level.
• Tears of Bhaal from the evil solution to the Test of Greed gives +15 HP.
• Deck of Many Things, Moon card (+10 HP)

Increases by items (while item is equipped):

• Plate of Balduran (+4 HP)
• Helm of Balduran (+5 HP)
• Pale Green Ioun Stone (10% HP increase)
• Severance (+5 HP)
• Spear of Kuldahar (+8 HP)
• Ring of Purity (+10 HP)
• Sensate Amulet (+5 HP)
• ...

Temporary increases:

• Aid (+1d8 HP)
• Holy Power (+1 HP/level)
• Righteous Magic (+1 HP/level)
• Tenser's Transformation (doubles HP)
• Larloch's Minor Drain (+4 HP)
• Vampiric Touch (up to +6d6 HP)
• Avoid Death (+20 HP)
• Enrage (+15 HP)
• Potion of Heroism (+10% HP)
• Potion of Power (+20% HP)

Additionally, increases to the constitution Ability score can potentially raise hit points, depending on the attribute increase and the character's class. HP increases through constitution increases can be permanent or temporary, depending on the source. For example, a temporary increase can be achieved through a Potion of Fortitude, spells and abilities like Draw Upon Holy Might, or equipment like Buckley's Buckler, and a permanent increase can be achieved through a Manual of Bodily Health and other means.

See the chart on the Constitution article for specific HP changes and bonuses derived from constitution scores and character class.