D&D 5E Any reason not to let PCs add Proficiency to all Saves?

[Kikuras]

Other fixes for things that someone might not like in 5e:

Characters start with 18s in all stats.

Everyone gets 12 HP each level, no need to roll.

Every class has proficiency with heavy armor.

All classes have are proficient with an additional 10 skills of the player's choice.

Automatic x2 to a character's proficiency bonus.

 

[Psikerlord#]

If you give prof bonus on all saves your PCs will be tougher to take down and spells, poisons, madness etc will all be less scary. Nothing will break however. I dont think it is personally necessary though - concentration is often a work around if you're concerned about hold person and similar spells neutralizing fighters for an entire battle.

 

[S'mon]

I don't think it will break anything. The only thing you might need to do is find some alternate class and subclass features that give proficiency on saving throws. Off the top of my head, Rogue 15 (Slippery Mind) and Monk 14 (Diamond Soul) would need to be adjusted. I would just give the characters Advantage on those saving throws at those levels instead.

You think Advantage is better than Double Proficiency? I'm wondering a bit about high level Save DCs, eg ancient red dragon breath DC 24, wing attack DC 25.

 

[Sadras]

In my opinion it is because hazardous magic is a thing to be avoided, not shrugged off.

This

 

[The Myopic Sniper]

You think Advantage is better than Double Proficiency? I'm wondering a bit about high level Save DCs, eg ancient red dragon breath DC 24, wing attack DC 25.

I considered the double proficiency thing when I was writing that. I just don't remember double proficiency on saving throws occurring anywhere in the rule set. If you are comfortable with introducing that then double proficiency is probably the way to go so that the characters can advantage from other sources.

 

[S'mon]

OK, reckon I'll give Proficiency in all saves for my low-magic swords & sorcery Wilderlands campaign - it's a genre where the Fighter or Barbarian ought to be able to resist the mesmerising gaze of the foul enchanter. Abilities that grant extra good saves give Advantage on the save instead. I want a 1e feel, but this looks to still be much less good than pre-3e, where high level PCs typically saved on a '2' - from what I can tell the caster DCs will still progress faster than most targetted saves, because the caster can pump his save attribute (eg CHA for Warlock) while targetting an attribute that is likely to be low (eg WIS for Barbarians).

 

[Iosue]

Since WotC introduced the ability mod + proficiency Saving Throw in the playtest, I've suggested the following possible configurations:

TSR-style - Casters do not add proficiency to Save DCs, all characters get proficiency on all Saves.
3e-style - The default rules
4e-style - Casters add proficency to Save DCs, all characters get proficiency on all Saves.

I think Advantage is a good substitute for class features obsoleted by giving everyone proficiency on all Saves.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

DCs and saving throws are usually not to resist an effect, but they instead decide how long the effect lingers on you. If you are good at a saving throw, you can keep up with the caster. Otherwise he will improve, as a fighter does really improve in hitting someone.

It is very different to the way it worked in previous editions:
In 3.x and 2nd edition, your caster level or just a random roll decided how long an effect lingered on a victim.

In adnd, the caster actually got worse in effecting equal level creatures with their spells, but spells could bypass that system and got very very dangerous. The best tactic was harrassing the caster that he would never get his spells cast on you, by hitting him before its turn in that round, or by being in melee with the caster.

In 3.x, it was a race beween the caster and the victim, and it depended on spell level how hard a spell was to resist. And some first level spells would have gotten really nasty, if the saving throw was not that easy to make. (Half casters and multiclass casters were punished twice by that system). On average, Caster´s high level spells were getting harder to resist, while it got easier to resist low level spells.

 

[Bayonet]

Fluff wise, it doesn't make sense. A fighter is more proficient at con saves than a wizard because a fighter has lead a physically demanding life that has inured him to tough conditions, whereas the Wizard likely hasn't. On the other hand, the Wizard has experience in buckling down and enforcing mental self-discipline in the face of exhaustion and confusion, while the fighter hasn't had as much experience having to do that.

 

[Staffan]

The irony with saves being the way they are is that in fiction, it's usually the other way around (at least for manly fighting men).

The evil sorcerer tries to bind the mind of Our Hero? His purity of purpose allows him to overcome the foul mindbending, and to cave the sorcerer's skull in with his axe. But a treacherous lady slipping some poison into his drink? That's going to lay him low.

Personally, I think the way they work is fair for game purposes (fighters need good Con saves on account of getting stabbed by venomous things all the time and stuff like that), but it is a bit strange.