What's the formula for medium saves?

[Mercule]

Actually, even 1 +(2/5)* level, round to nearest integer isn't right, is it? the chart delays the middle "plus" until the next level. Instead of 1,2,2,3,3,3 like it should, it's 1,2,2,2,3,3 instead.

I just plugged it into Excel, and it's not too bad. The deviation is close enough, IMO, for the benefit of getting a simplified formula (which is one of the first things that impressed me about 3E). Oh, and I used the standard "round down" guideline.

I'll try to format this well.

Level		Ave		(2L/5)+1
1		 1		 1
2		 1		 1
3		 2		 2
4		 2		 2
5		 2		 3
6		 3		 3
7		 3		 3
8		 4		 4
9		 4		 4
10		 5		 5
11		 5		 5
12		 6		 5
13		 6		 6
14		 6		 6
15		 7		 7
16		 7		 7
17		 7		 7
18		 8		 8
19		 8		 8
20		 9		 9

 

[Darkness]

((L/2+2)+(L/3))/2 is not simple

Do you need to round between the steps, rather than just at the end?

If not...

(2+L/2+L/3)/2
1+L/4+L/6
1+3*L/12+2*L/12
1+5*L/12

 

[Mercule]

Do you need to round between the steps, rather than just at the end?

If not...
1+5*L/12

It seems to work if you round at the end. I've run the formula out to 1+5L/12, and am still rather unsatisfied with that. There is a certain simplicity to having a numerator of 1 and a low single digit denominator. It makes the math easy. 1+2L/5 yields different results in slightly different results, but it's a lot simpler than 1+5L12 -- I can do it in my head without much effort. I'd like to see an even simpler formula, but doubt that's going to happen. Purely an asthetics thing.

 

[Andre]

Try INT(1.35 + (Lvl*0.4))

Not simple, but it yields the correct progression:

1.75 (1)
2.15 (2)
2.55 (2)
2.95 (2)
3.35 (3)
3.75 (3)
4.15 (4)
4.55 (4)
4.95 (4)
5.35 (5)
5.75 (5)
6.15 (6)
6.55 (6)
6.95 (6)
7.35 (7)
7.75 (7)
8.15 (8)
8.55 (8)
8.95 (8)
9.35 (9)

 

[Gnome]

I think I'm beginning to see why WotC doesn't use Average saves in their products.

 

[Nikosandros]

Actually, even 1 +(2/5)* level, round to nearest integer isn't right, is it? the chart delays the middle "plus" until the next level. Instead of 1,2,2,3,3,3 like it should, it's 1,2,2,2,3,3 instead.

Actually it's 1 1/5 + (2/5) * level. Always rounding down (which is consistent with the other saves and 3e rules in general)

 

[Crothian]

I think I'm beginning to see why WotC doesn't use Average saves in their products.

why? all they have to do is list the table not put out a formula for it....

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Good is 2 + 1/2 per level. Poor is 0 + 1/3 per level. If you boost those up to twelfths, you see that thats 2 + 6/12 per level and 0 + 4/12 per level.

Medium Saving throw is 1 + 5/12 per level.

You get a perfect progression from +1 to +9 and it's compatible with fractional progression.

edit: Which I see Darkness has already posted, just in a format my primitive caveman mind does not readily comprehend.

 

[Andre]

Actually it's 1 1/5 + (2/5) * level. Always rounding down (which is consistent with the other saves and 3e rules in general)

Yep, this works and is simpler than the one I posted.

Medium Saving throw is 1 + 5/12 per level.

Close, but no cigar. If using integer value (always round down), you get:

1,1,2,2,3,3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,6,7,7,8,8,8,9

If using rounded value (rounding fractions of .5 up), you get:

1,2,2,3,3,4,4,4,5,5,6,6,6,7,7,8,8,9,9,9

 

[DanMcS]

(About 1.2 +level*.4)
Yep, this works and is simpler than the one I posted.

I don't like it, though, the base should be 1 for the sake of cleanness. I use 1 + level*.4 for medium saves, even though it's not the published medium save, because it's better.