D&D General How do you like your Saving Throws played?

[Slit518]

A static form of defense much like Armor Class, where target rolls to see if they can hit or beat your Saving Throw?

Active, where an effect happens and you roll to see if you can beat the effect?

Competition, roll-vs-roll, both parties roll, and the winner gets their thing through. Whether it be the attack/effect or the save vs the attack/effect.

 

[iserith]

As in D&D 4e, I prefer the caster or effect rolls against the target's defense (e.g. Fort, Ref, Will). This keeps everything in the hands of the attacker rather than having a clunky back-and-forth between sometimes attack rolls and sometimes saves.

I definitely would not like the "competition" option. In general, I prefer to reduce dice-rolling at that level. It saves time. Each individual context takes a bit longer than just one person rolling against a static number and that back-and-forth multiple times per session starts to add up to real time wasted.

 

[payn]

I love me the clunky back and forth of active because it gives the feel of some variety. Also, the saving throw is enticing and dramatic as you have the PC's fortunes in your very hands. The static just makes it feel like yet another attack mechanic.

 

[aco175]

As in D&D 4e, I prefer the caster or effect rolls against the target's defense (e.g. Fort, Ref, Will). This keeps everything in the hands of the attacker rather than having a clunky back-and-forth between sometimes attack rolls and sometimes saves.

Same. And people like to roll the dice in the game instead of watching the DM. It is the same as if the DM made all the attack rolls for your PC. I try to let the players make all the rolls they can. I just tell them the monster has a Dex save of +1 and let the player roll to see if the monster makes the save. Same with monster damage where I just say the goblins manages to slash you for 1d6+2 and let the player roll. Frees me up to move on and speed up combat some.