D&D 5E (2014) Just Get Rid of "Saving Throws"

[Oofta]

Personally I like saving throws, it feels more active from the person making the save. It also seems to keep players more involved and invested and involved; there's that moment of tension you miss otherwise.

 

[GM Lent]

Darn, if only you had been 8 years faster

Who knows? Maybe I read it all those years ago and it seeped into my subconscious, only to stir when once again this thread arose from its grave.

 

[payn]

Kicking rocks still about 4E's elegant design? This thread never really left 2013.

 

[Jaeger]

I don’t think things like fireball or a creatures breath weapon should involve saving throws.

they should be casting/attack rolls.

something like charm person or sleep, there I can see a PC getting a chance to innately resist the effect. (Casting roll is still made though.)

Alternatively you could simply add the targets attribute bonus to the DC of the casting roll.

there are several ways one could “tidy up” saving throws while still having them as a feature of the game.

 

[ECMO3]

I wish they'd drop the term "saving throw" and just call them what they are - ability checks. It would also mean we could get rid of the things that add bonuses to saves only, which requires extra bookkeeping and can be annoying to remember. I'd much prefer to not have to have separate bonuses from my ability modifiers just because I put on a ring of protection, for example. If something makes my character stronger or smarter, it should just make him stronger or smarter, not just in the narrow circumstances that call for a saving throw.

As for spells that allow saving throws, I think the best solution is to make them opposed checks. If it's not too complicated for someone to make an opposed roll for grappling and disarming, then why is it too complicated for spells like charm person? This is IMO the best way to please both the 4e attack vs. defenses crowd and the saving throw crowd. Both the attacker and defender get to roll. Everyone wins! I think it would also make spellcasters more fun to play. I like being able to roll when I cast a spell, rather than just sitting there while my DM tells me what happens.

I don't care what they are called but I like the proficiency, subclass and magic item bonus as well as the mechanic and I find theey do not slow down my games at all as the players are expected to keep up with it for their characters.