The bug is that Saving Throw DCs tend to scale at a particular rate. For PCs, they go up with ability scores and proficiency mod. This means they typically go up by +6 or so over the course of 20 levels.
A weak save goes up by 0, and possibly starts in the negative.
So, Jim the Fighter starts with a -1 Wisdom against DC 13 will saves. He can succeed on a roll of 12. It's hard, but he has about a 1/3rd chance of succeeding. Not the end of the world.
At level 20, Jim the Fighter still has a -1 Wisdom save. Only now, DCs from meaningful challenges are around DC 19. He has to roll a 20 to succeed (on top of a failed wisdom save potentially meaning much worse at 20th level then at first).
I don't like this about this system, and I didn't like it about 3rd either. Since I've never seen the designers say that this is an intended part of the system, I'm not really convinced by you simply saying that it is so. Do you have an explanation more than "it is because it is"?
The bug is that Saving Throw DCs tend to scale at a particular rate. For PCs, they go up with ability scores and proficiency mod. This means they typically go up by +6 or so over the course of 20 levels.
A weak save goes up by 0, and possibly starts in the negative.
So, Jim the Fighter starts with a -1 Wisdom against DC 13 will saves. He can succeed on a roll of 12. It's hard, but he has about a 1/3rd chance of succeeding. Not the end of the world.
At level 20, Jim the Fighter still has a -1 Wisdom save. Only now, DCs from meaningful challenges are around DC 19. He has to roll a 20 to succeed (on top of a failed wisdom save potentially meaning much worse at 20th level then at first).
I don't like this about this system, and I didn't like it about 3rd either. Since I've never seen the designers say that this is an intended part of the system, I'm not really convinced by you simply saying that it is so. Do you have an explanation more than "it is because it is"?
Opposed rolls take some of the thunder away from Strength saves. A lot could be a static DC. Grappling for instance could even be a save situation. In that instance opposed checks are almost an odd legacy rule from before Strength saves. But they still work in situations where skill might matter more than raw ability scores.
Strength saves mostly come up in situations that would be opposed but where the force doesn't have a statblocks.