D&D 5E Saving throw bonus that is based on CURRENT HP

[UngeheuerLich]

Some people believe, that high level characters have too low saving throws. And with a bonus of +5 to Spell DC from Wizard level, I tend to agree.

So taking HP treshold further I came to following solution:

Everyone gets a bonus to all saving throws, based on CURRENT HP.
It could be a +1 bonus at 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 hp. (maximum +5)

Numers could change. Maybe different classes could get different HP tresholds. You could base it on fractions of MAX HP.

I do however like the most general approach. 100hp is a nice number for the maximum bonus of +5. Basing it on absolute HP helps higher level characters vs spells of lower level casters. And even higher level casters need to wear down some hp to more or less reliably take out a fighter with a save or disable spell.

 

[Traken]

Death spiral. Wizards has been very reluctant to add any sort of death spiral to a base game of D&D.

That said, I like death spirals and I think this could be a good idea.

 

[jonesy]

Death spiral, eh? Time to bust a move.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

actually, that may be a death spiral. But you don´t stop hitting as hard or well. Only spells are affected. And some spells have already built that "spiral" in. I guess the death spiral is only a matter, if you stop being able to do something. But your offensive capabilities are not touched a single bit.

 

[Sunseeker]

So, it's basically a wound-penalty system. I've played with systems like that before, it can lead pretty easily to death spirals.

I would say it's better to have a bonus for being at higher health, rather than a penalty for losing any health. So lets say, you get a +1 to saves for each 25% of your health past the first. At best it's a +3 bonus, which is pretty good, the tracking isn't too difficult provided that HP sticks to roundable numbers, and you're never punished for fighting. If you start off a +0 at 100% health, and then gain negatives, it will make players adverse to combat due to the risk of a death spiral.

 

[Crazy Jerome]

Yeah, not a death spiral. Just a penalty to a standard bonus.

 

[n00bdragon]

Did no one even read the OP? This isn't a wound penalty. It's a bonus for having high HP. I really like it but I'd go a step farther. Someone with 100HP should be more or less immune to stuff. +20 to saving throws would not be out of order.

As a matter of fact you could just scrap saving throw progression based on level as it is and use that. That way bosses can't be one shotted by a bad roll until you make enough numbers fly out of their head first.

 

[the Jester]

Did no one even read the OP? This isn't a wound penalty. It's a bonus for having high HP. I really like it but I'd go a step farther. Someone with 100HP should be more or less immune to stuff. +20 to saving throws would not be out of order.

In 5e, where the maximum bonus achievable generally seems to be on the order of +10, I think +20 is actually way over the top. YMMV.

As a matter of fact you could just scrap saving throw progression based on level as it is and use that. That way bosses can't be one shotted by a bad roll until you make enough numbers fly out of their head first.

There doesn't seem to be save progression in 5e. Or do you mean the increase in DCs that casters get as they advance?

 

[Falling Icicle]

The easy solution is to just remove the spellcasting bonus from spell save DCs, not to add save bonuses and further complicate the game.

 

[Traken]

Did no one even read the OP? This isn't a wound penalty. It's a bonus for having high HP.

How is it not a wound penalty or death spiral? By implementing a generic bonus that applies to everyone, you change the assumption of the default saving throw.

By reducing that bonus, you have instantiated a penalty against the default assumption of the saving throw.

By keying this off of current hp instead of maximum hp, you have created a wound penalty or a death spiral.