Saving Throw names

[Theodoxus]

So, having played D&D since 1982, I'm pretty much stuck with Fort, Ref and Will save nomenclature. I've been trying to use the attribute names, but in play, I invariably slip. So, I've been thinking, what about the other three saves - maybe it'd be easier to rename them similarly.

I came up with Mental for Intelligence, and Ego for Charisma, but I can't think of a decent one for strength. I thought Burst, or Bust - as typically that's what you're doing when you make a Strength save - but they sound clunky.

Anyone come up with a different save names?

[MaxWilson]

Whatever you come up with can't be much more opaque than "saving throw vs. rods", which is where you started out in 1982. :-P

[Grayson01]

Whatever you come up with can't be much more opaque than "saving throw vs. rods", which is where you started out in 1982. :-P

OOOOh the fun of a individule Save for everything those were the days.... lol

[Slipperychicken]

Heh, I'm glad to hear my group isn't the only one which still refers to reflex and will saves.


It's kind of awkward for strength because fortitude is basically a synonym for it ("fort" in french literally meaning "strong", and "fortitudo" in latin meaning strength).

You could try something like "muscle" or "might".

[jkat718]

I'm liking Slipperychicken's suggestions, but a "might save" just sounds weird. Maybe "brawn" would work? And I'm not so sure I like "ego," either, but I can't think of anything better, besides personality or allure, both of which only partially cover charisma.

STR - Brawn save
DEX - Reflex save
CON - Fortitude save
INT - Mental save
WIS - Will save
CHA - Personality save

[Easy_Lee]

STR - Brawn save
DEX - Reflex save
CON - Fortitude save
INT - Mental save
WIS - Will save
CHA - Personality save

I like these. +1

[jkat718]

I like these. +1

Thanks, but I'm still not sold for Mental. Personality could use some improvement, too, I think.

[Easy_Lee]

Thanks, but I'm still not sold for Mental. Personality could use some improvement, too, I think.

Hmm, mind save, psychic save, rationality save, scholar save, cerebral save...I kind of like mental best.

Edit: Charisma is about being controlled by someone else. I'd call it a "freedom" or "autonomy" save.

[AugustNights]

Some thoughts:

Intelligence
Intellect Save
Wits Save
Brilliance Save
Savvy Save
Book Save
Smarts Save
Clever Save

Strength
Burly Save
Beefy Save
Buff Save
Muscle Save
Break Save
Brute Save
Vigorous Save
Force Save


Charisma
Eloquence Save
Decorum Save
Heart Save
Spirit Save
Soul Save
Presence Save

[Beleriphon]

Heart Save

Lamest power ever.

[Slipperychicken]

Heart SaveLamest power ever.

Not so lame when your PC is rejected by his/her crush, and the DM calls for a save against heartbreak.

Or when your PC eats way too much junk food and needs to save against a heart attack.

[Beleriphon]

Not so lame when your PC is rejected by his/her crush, and the DM calls for a save against heartbreak.

Or when your PC eats way too much junk food and needs to save against a heart attack.

You failed your save vs sarcasm. :smallwink:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ma-Ti#Ma-Ti

[Inevitability]

You failed your save vs sarcasm. :smallwink:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ma-Ti#Ma-Ti

*clicks link*

*read article*


He can also use this power to telepathically communicate with people, animals, and women.

You know, this explains a lot. :smalltongue:

[Galen]

Brawn, Reflex, Mettle, Wits, Will, Ego - has a nice ring to it.

[MaxWilson]

Wait. Since when are "people" and "women" different categories?

[jkat718]

Brawn, Reflex, Mettle, Wits, Will, Ego - has a nice ring to it.

Ooh, "Mettle" is a good one. I think "Wits" is also nice, but sounds weird when you say "Wits save." Maybe shorten it to just "Wit" or "Wit save?" Of course, that kinda sounds like "which save?" but oh, well. :smalltongue:

[Galen]

Ooh, "Mettle" is a good one. I think "Wits" is also nice, but sounds weird when you say "Wits save." Maybe shorten it to just "Wit" or "Wit save?" Of course, that kinda sounds like "which save?" but oh, well. :smalltongue:Makes for a tongue-twister: Two witches make a will save and a wit save, which witch makes which save?

[GiantOctopodes]

Having recently analyzed this, and feeling a bit embittered by my findings:

Fort
Will
Reflex
Str Check, sorry, I mean save
Opposed Cha check, wait, I mean save (wait, what?)
Int check. Yeah, that's what I meant. What, you didn't think you would actually ever *use* that save, did you?

Please don't take that too much to heart. FWIW I like Ego save or Id save for Charisma, and Mettle save or Exertion save for Strength. Don't bother creating one for Intelligence, you'll never use it, or just call it what it is, a Feeblemind save.

[Easy_Lee]

I got another one for Charisma. Moxie save (definition: force of character, determination, or nerve.)

Might use "brawn" for strength since mettle kind of sounds like a lot of things. Intelligence is tough, since mental and mind could also mean wisdom. How about cognition save?

With those, the saves would be

Brawn
Reflex
Fortitude
Cognition
Will
Moxie

[jkat718]

Still not sure which is better, "brawn save" or "mettle save." And I'm not a huge fan of "moxie save," either. This is hard. :smallmad:

[rollingForInit]

I like the names of the will/ref/fort saves as they were previously used, but I cannot see why there would be a need for it in 5e. It sounds convoluted. In earlier editions, I imagine they called them as such because they didn't want to tie them too explicitly to an ability score (even if that was the case) since the other ability scores didn't have associated saves. In 4e, though, you had the will/ref/fort defenses instead. You added the highest modifier of your Wis/Cha to Will, Int/Dex to Ref, and Str/Con to Fort. That made sense as well.

In 5e, you have one Saving Throw per ability score. Renaming them doesn't make any sense. It adds a level of complexity, especially since the mental scores are already difficult to distinguish in some circumstances. What's the difference between a Mental save and a Will save? They're both mental saves. Save issue with con/str. Almost any name you come up with could conceptually be applied to the other as well. If you take something very specific, such as Int/Intellect save, then you might as well retain the original name.

Isn't it easier to just get used to the new names? They're about as easy and straightforward as it gets (although I would personally have preferred the original three, but calculated as they were in 4e).

[toapat]

a proper name for a str save is really hard to agree on, but int being an intuition save sounds right. the 3rd ed saves were basically named after what they represented. But there really isnt a nice sounding word for what resisting forces attempting to knock out your balance or restrict you or shove you

?
Reflex
Fortitude
?/Intuition
Will
Ego

[EccentricCircle]

In a recent attempt at playing Original D&D we jokingly decided that a character should make a saving throw against stone to avoid being crushed during a rocks fall everyone dies situation. It was the closest thing on their character sheet...

I keep slipping up and calling for will saves and spot checks. We went through a few sessions of having perception be the Uberskill, since it was used so often, until I started reading the new adventure path and discovered that Investigation was being used as a search type skill rather than perception. We'd figured it was more gather information, whereas it kind of seems to be both, maybe keyed from int or wis for search and cha or wis for gather info.

I think i've played so many different games over the past couple of years (at least four versions of D&D including pathfinder, three starwars RPGs, ORE and rogue trader), that I no longer have any idea which skills are on which systems skill lists!