{kjd-exp} Recalibrating Saving Throws


Merry Christmas, Everyone.

Enjoy. Thoughts, questions, comments are welcome.


Keith

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Recalibrating Saving Throws

Retrieved from
"http://wiki.kjd-imc.org/Recalibrating_Saving_Throws";


For some time I've seen comments that the separation between
good saving throws and poor saving throws is too big, and that
it is difficult to find challenges appropriate to higher-level
characters with different saving throw progressions.

Mathematically, I can see the argument for this. A high-level
spell from a moderately optimized spellcaster will likely have a
save DC in the high 20s. A Wiz17 with Int 28 (18 base, +4 from
level bumps, +6 from an item; I have found in the last few years
that this should be expected) casting a ninth-level spell will
have a save DC of 28.

A good base save progression would give +10 at this point (17/2
= 8, +2); if the target has +9 for related ability score (cleric
with Wis 28, rogue with Dex 28), +5 more for a cloak of
resistance +5 -- a total of +22 -- he'll need to roll 6 or
better on d20 to make the save. +2 more for the appropriate feat
(Great Fortitude, Lightning Reflexes, Iron Will) and he's down
to 4+ to make the save. Pretty good chances, but he's pretty
well tuned to make this save (good base save, topped out ability
score, good saving throw item, and a precious feat). The guy who
doesn't tune to this extent (say, a bog-standard Ftr17 with Wis
12) has a total of +7 to his Will save. He'll save on a... 21+,
on d20 (ignoring the auto-20 rule). This drops to 16+ on d20 if
he too has a cloak of resistance +5 -- but shouldn't these be
uncommon, rather standard equipment?

The spellcasters are a specific example, and one that I've seen
as a problem. However, monster natural abilities usually have
their save DCs based on 'HD/2' as well, and monster HD often is
markedly higher than their CR (a CR17 creature can have 30 HD,
for example, though those ones tend to be 'mostly meat' with few
abilities that require saves to be made). Again, the character
made to resist them will have a decent to pretty good chance,
but everyone else is likely to suffer.

Considering how many of these abilities and attacks can be 'save
or die', things can suck for the low-save guy.

Possible Solution

What if instead we try to make saving throw DCs so they're
generally about 50% for the 'normal guy', and let the people who
should be 'highly resistant' be 'highly resistant'?

There are a number of changes to the formula (normally
"HD/2+mAbility") that could work, but let's try the simplest:
the greater of "HD/2" (spell level, for spells) and the
creature's ability score modifier. For instance, a Wiz5 with Int
18 would cast fireball with a save DC of 14 (rather than the
current 17).

The Ftr5 (poor Reflex save, Dex 14) has +3 to his Reflex save;
he'd succeed on 11+, for 50% of the time. RAW, he would need
14+, succeeding only 35% of the time.

The Rog5, OTOH (good Reflex save, Dex 20 -- halfling) has +9;
he'll succeed on 5+, or 70% of the time (and has Evasion to
boot). RAW, he would need 8+, succeeding only 55% of the time...
for a character made to dodge damage.

Let's consider higher levels, an Int 28 Wiz17 with meteor swarm
(save DC 19 now, rather than 28 RAW). The Ftr17 (base Reflex +5,
+4 from Dex -- he's upgraded some) will save on 10+, or 55% of
the time (RAW he'd need a 19+, succeeding only 10% of the time).
The Rog17 (base Reflex +10, +9 from Dex) would succeed on a 2+
(1 always fails), or 95% of the time; RAW he'd need 9+,
succeeding only 60% of the time. The rogue can get it back up to
85% success rate if he has a cloak of resistance +5 (fresh
consignment in at Mage-mart, I guess. Right next to the twilight
mithral chain shirts).

Benefits of this Solution

* reduces vulnerability of 'normal' characters.
* lets 'tuned' characters actually be good at resisting bad
stuff (the barbarian thinks nothing of quaffing anything
because he's tough enough to deal with it... almost always;
the rogue doesn't fear 'physical magics' because he can rely
on his agility to avoid them; the cleric calmly faces down
the horrors of the undead and the abyss because he knows his
mind is pure and will unshakable).
* actually gives casters reasons to take Spell Focus and the
like to push their save DCs up, or to more carefully chose
their spells so they can target a variety of defenses as
needed (I had a caster in my campaign who was happy to use
area effect spells almost exclusively because '50% success'
-- for the ones with good' Reflex saves -- doesn't take long
to get past).
* somewhat reduces imbalance of power between casters and
noncasters (save or die -- whether explicit in the spell, or
because a failed save does so much damage -- becomes much
less scary, and much more meaningful when it happens).
* reduces dependency on cloaks of resistance (what high-level
characters, RAW, don't have these, or a comparable item?)
* might encourage SAD characters to spread their ability
scores around a little. A high-level character no longer
increases his spells' save DCs based on a high ability
score, so he may as well spread things out a little and
become a more balanced character. Yeah, I'm dreaming a
little here.
* may encourage use of lower-level spells -- lightning bolt
and chain lightning have the same save DC, so unless you
want the additional range, damage or affected targets (IMC
you probably do, but let's pretend) you might find that
lightning bolt will do the job just as well.
* somewhat models earlier editions, where you will more likely
fail saves at low levels (the big ability score modifiers
give big save DCs; where saving throw numbers decreased in
previous editions the higher-level spells often had saving
throw penalties).

--
Keith Davies You know you're working too much when you
keith.davies@xxxxxxxxxxxx receive spam with
keith.davies@xxxxxxxxx "Subject: Erection issues resolved!"
http://www.kjdavies.org/ and you go looking for the trouble ticket.
.

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