D&D (2024) Return to the 3 saves for 1D&D?

[Horwath]

Should 1D&D return to classic 3 saving throws?
And how would it be done?

And using all abilities with that option also?


3 Saves for 1D&D;

Fortitude save: current STR and CON saves
Reflex save: current DEX saves
Will save: current INT, WIS and CHA saves.

how to use all abilities?

Fort saves: str+con mod
ref saves: dex+int mod
will saves: wis+cha mod

Every class would have proficiency in one saving throw:

fort save: barbarian, fighter, sorcerer, artificer
reflex save: bard, ranger, rogue, monk
will save: cleric, druid, warlock, wizard

average save modifier with various abilities:
16,16,16,8,8,8 = +6 over 6 saves = +1. +6 over 3 saves = +2
14,14,14,12,12,12 = +9 over 6 saves = +1,5. +9 over 3 saves = +3

then we move base DC back to 10 from 8.

and we add half proficiency mod to unproficient saves. Round down.
just to have all saves scale somewhat with levels, not depending only on ASIs

resilient feat would add proficiency in one save. with +1 ASI included as normal.

 

[payn]

Why are we adding proficiency 1/2 mods to nonproficient saves? Seems like bounded accuracy was set up to stop having to do things like this?

Also, not a big fan of use X or use Y saves. Just makes ability scores routine and boring.

 

[Lojaan]

Works for me. Especially as it's how many years in and no one has been able to explain concisely what even int or cha saves even are.

I would swap your wis and int around tho. Wis as awareness of surroundings works well with reflex saves.

(Not sure how int works for fort either but hey, maybe reading books in DnD makes you stubborn )

 

[Clint_L]

I kinda like that it would make strength a bit more viable as a stat. Currently having class proficiency in strength saves is a big oof.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Works for me. Especially as it's how many years in and no one has been able to explain concisely what even int or cha saves even are.

I would swap your wis and int around tho. Wis as awareness of surroundings works well with reflex saves.

(Not sure how int works for fort either but hey, maybe reading books in DnD makes you stubborn )

Int saves work for reflex, as you can calculate trajectories in your head.

What I do reject is calling those saves "classic" which instead would be "spells", "paralyzation, poison and death magic", "staves, wands and rods", "breath weapons", "petrification and polymorph"...

Sometimes I think, proficiency should grant a bonus to those categories and you can decide yourself which stat is relevant.

Poison, paralyzation and death magic is probably connected to con, but maybe also wisdom. breath weapons might be countered with dex (avoid) or con (resist) and so on.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I kinda like that it would make strength a bit more viable as a stat. Currently having class proficiency in strength saves is a big oof.

No. Strenght is the best of the rare saves. So many animals that grapple or trip you force a strength saving throw. And woth the current 1D&D rules, strength saving throws can be used to escape regular grapples. Which I really like.

 

[Sacrosanct]

What I do reject is calling those saves "classic" which instead would be "spells", "paralyzation, poison and death magic", "staves, wands and rods", "breath weapons", "petrification and polymorph"...

Indeed.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

I think I'd prefer if they went back with the weird saves of the old editions, but with the maths of the more recent ones, totally separating them from the ability scores!

Breath/Blast/Beam
Magic Items/Curses
Polymorph/Petrification/Transmutation
Poison/Paralyze/Death
Spells/Magic/Psi

 

[Dausuul]

I would certainly prefer to return to Fort, Ref, and Will saves. Out of the three saving throw groupings we've had, it's solidly the best. They were conceptually easy to grasp; none of the three was clearly more important than the others; most effects could slot easily into one of the three; and the names didn't overlap with other similar mechanics.

However, I think 1D&D's mandate for backward compatibility is going to make that a nonstarter. The best we can hope for is a rebalancing of saving throws to make all six equally important.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

I just want less different saves. I think a situation where every PC was proficient in 2 of them would be absolutely fine, honestly. The current six-save situation is just annoying and feels deeply ill-distributed. So yes please return Fort/Ref/Will, it's the only grouping I've seen people really grok and it has a simplicity that works really well.