Saving Throws

Saving Throws are die rolls used to ascertain the efficacy of non-melee attacks such as magic, poison, or various other forms against a character or monster. The specific methods of countering or evading these attacks is a subject of considerable debate. The rules here presume that a successful saving throw implies that the defender has skillfully evaded, eluded, retreated from, escaped, parried, resisted, conquered, stood up to, mentally resisted, or fortuitously benefited from luck, lessening the impact of the attack. The danger of such attacks, and success in side-stepping them, enhances the overall game experience.

To achieve success in a saving throw, threatened characters must roll a result that is equal to or exceeds their level and hit dice. It's well to remember bonuses the character possessed from their race, class benefits, sage abilities, magical armour or other devices, and of course any spells in place or that should be put in place before coming into proximity of those attacks addressed by saving throw die rolls.

Four tables are provided that group together specific character classes. Non-levelled persons and non-magical monsters roll as "fighters;" those monsters that have spell use ability, or natural powers resembling spells, or possess magic resistance, should roll as "mages," unless the form of magic more closely relates to clerical or druidical magic. In cases where a level is indicated, such as the brownie, that should be used as the creature's saving throw; otherwise, use hit dice as levels.

The specific saving throw column to be used in the tables below is given as part of a spell or monster's attack description. In case of exceptions, use the column that seems most applicable in the situation and try to codify or correct that use afterward.

Bards, Fighters & Rangers

Level	Poison	Paralyse & Petrify	Polymorph	Rod, Staff & Wand	Breath Weapon	Other Magic
1-3	15	15	16	15	17	15
4-7	14	14	15	13	16	14
8-10	12	13	13	12	14	12
11-15	11	12	11	10	13	11
16+	9	10	10	9	11	9

Attacks

There are six basic forms of attack that must be saved against, as described below:

Poison. These involve the use of toxins, venoms or other harmful substances to harm a character or creature, whether ingestive or insinuative. The outcome determines whether the target succumbs to the poison or manages to avoid its harmful consequences.

Assassins & Thieves

Level	Poison	Paralyse & Petrify	Polymorph	Rod, Staff & Wand	Breath Weapon	Other Magic
1-6	13	12	14	14	16	15
7-11	12	11	13	12	15	13
12-15	11	10	12	10	14	11
16-19	10	9	11	8	13	9
20+	9	8	10	6	12	7

Paralyse & Petrify. Paralysation attacks strike at the character's nervous system or general biology in order to immobilise the victim. Petrification describes the physical transformation of flesh into another form, most commonly stone, that "freezes" the character and again makes them helpless. Thus, other attacks that resemble these two should be addressed by this column.

Polymorph. This describes spells that affect others or the unwilling transformation of a character or creature into a different shape or form, often altering their physical attributes and abilities.

Rod, Staff & Wand. Rods, staves and wands are tools that cast spells, perform enchantments or manipulate magical energies. These items are typically designed to channel and focus a wielder's desire. The category would include all attacks by these and other items, such as rings, artifacts and various miscellaneous magics.

Illusionists, Mages & Monks

Level	Poison	Paralyse & Petrify	Polymorph	Rod, Staff & Wand	Breath Weapon	Other Magic
1-4	14	12	12	11	15	12
5-8	13	11	10	9	13	10
9-12	11	10	8	7	11	8
13-17	10	9	6	5	9	6
18+	8	8	4	3	7	4

Breath weapon. These are innate or abilities that enable creatures to unleash powerful and often destructive effects by breathing them forth from the beast's gullet. The nature of breath weapons varies widely, including fiery breath, poisonous exhalations, freezing blasts and more. The category loosely includes any widespread attack associated with a creature's biological construction rather than it's magic capability.

Other Magic. Includes all other dweomers, enchantments and magic-like attacks, regardless of the source. Both area attacks, like fireball, or individual-based effects, such as charm spells, are included.

Clerics, Druids & Paladins

Level	Poison	Paralyse & Petrify	Polymorph	Rod, Staff & Wand	Breath Weapon	Other Magic
1-4	12	11	13	14	15	15
5-8	11	10	12	13	14	14
9-13	9	8	10	11	12	12
14-18	8	7	9	10	11	11
19+	7	6	8	9	10	10

Game mechanics

Whenever feasible, steer clear of situations in which the failure of a saving throw leads to inevitable death, irrespective of a character's abilities or level. While it's reasonable that a potent breath weapon could prove fatal to a lower-level character, the rationale behind allowing a saving throw, even for high-level characters, is to instill a sense of fear when facing formidable foes like dragons. High-level characters, with their enhanced saving throw chances and greater hit points, are less likely to perish from a single attack.

Gameplay mechanics exist to provide a significant effect upon the narrative, not serve as a means by which the DM can kill characters. Surviving characters provide a better reaction resulting from a near-death experience than constant actual death, which only breaks the game's continuity with the pointless introduction of new low-level character fodder.

See also,
Combat
Saving Throws for Items
The Adventure