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<blockquote data-quote="rogueattorney" data-source="post: 5404615" data-attributes="member: 17551">I've never understood issues with BECMI's saving throw rules.&nbsp; There are a limited number of special attacks that give characters a saving throw to avoid or lessen the effects of the attack:&nbsp; Death Rays, Poison, Paralysis, Petrification, Dragon Breath, Wands, Staves, Rods, and Spells.&nbsp; Those are all fairly specific.&nbsp; I can see far more instances where &quot;Fortitude&quot; and &quot;Willpower&quot; might overlap than say &quot;Dragon Breath&quot; and &quot;Spells.&quot;&nbsp; I've never found any instance where there might be ambiguity and the rules didn't specify which applied (e.g. Wand of Paralysis).&nbsp; Obviously, if the DM makes up his own monster, spell, magic item, etc., he gets to choose what effect occurs.&nbsp; My rule of thumb has been &quot;the column to the farthest left&quot; but I've also sometimes just used the most favorable to the player.If the DM thinks some other type of attack deserves a saving throw it's at his discretion to allow it.&nbsp; He can use one of the saving throw values for the listed atacks or make up his own number.In closing, I'd like to point out the vast under use of Death Rays in all editions of D&amp;D and resolve that my next dungeon shall include laser rifle toting goblins.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="rogueattorney, post: 5404615, member: 17551"] I've never understood issues with BECMI's saving throw rules. There are a limited number of special attacks that give characters a saving throw to avoid or lessen the effects of the attack: Death Rays, Poison, Paralysis, Petrification, Dragon Breath, Wands, Staves, Rods, and Spells. Those are all fairly specific. I can see far more instances where "Fortitude" and "Willpower" might overlap than say "Dragon Breath" and "Spells." I've never found any instance where there might be ambiguity and the rules didn't specify which applied (e.g. Wand of Paralysis). Obviously, if the DM makes up his own monster, spell, magic item, etc., he gets to choose what effect occurs. My rule of thumb has been "the column to the farthest left" but I've also sometimes just used the most favorable to the player. If the DM thinks some other type of attack deserves a saving throw it's at his discretion to allow it. He can use one of the saving throw values for the listed atacks or make up his own number. In closing, I'd like to point out the vast under use of Death Rays in all editions of D&D and resolve that my next dungeon shall include laser rifle toting goblins. [/QUOTE]

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