Deriving Spell Save DCs from Caster's Base Will Save

[NerdHut]

In mulling over how low-level spells often get ignored in high-level play and high-level spells are basically cheat codes to the game, I had a thought.

While many spells don't use saves, some do. Low level spells are always easier to save against, even when you have a 20th-level wizard casting them (assuming you're not optimizing specifically for super high saves), and high level spells are more difficult.

I was wondering if deriving the save DCs from the caster's Base Will Save +10 instead of Spell Level+Ability Bonus+10 was worth experimenting with. At least in my head, it makes low level spells more viable later in the game, while ever so slightly curbing the insane power of the high level spells.

I'm sure someone has thought of this before, but I couldn't find a discussion on it.

Anyway, this is more a curiosity for me than serious need-to-know crunch. Just let me know your thoughts.

EDIT: I thought about the math a little bit more, and for the sake of skipping the discussion of multiclass characters abusing this, let's change it from being directly tied to base will save and use 12 + (1/2 your caster level) for the DC, since that is the same as it would be for a single-class full caster. Let's also assume there are reasonable stipulations about abilities that augment your caster level.

[frogglesmash]

Why not just use the same formula monsters use for their abilities, but instead of "10+(HD/2)+Ability Mod" you do "10+(CL/2)+Ability Mod."

[NerdHut]

Why not just use the same formula monsters use for their abilities, but instead of "10+(HD/2)+Ability Mod" you do "10+(CL/2)+Ability Mod."

I thought about that possibility, but to me the appeal of dropping the ability mod from the equation was that it didn't make the high level spells even harder to save against than RAW by level 20. I can definitely see how more caster-oriented groups and players would want the higher saves though. I've just always been fond of simpler/less magic.

[Crake]

I thought about that possibility, but to me the appeal of dropping the ability mod from the equation was that it didn't make the high level spells even harder to save against than RAW by level 20. I can definitely see how more caster-oriented groups and players would want the higher saves though. I've just always been fond of simpler/less magic.

Dropping the ability mod from the save DC without doing the same for the will save makes saves scale FAR faster than DCs. Since the DC is base+10, you only need to get +9 to your save ontop of the base (assuming your base is the same as the caster's) to be able to pass on anything other than a 1. A +5 cloak of resistance, and even a mediocre wisdom/dex/con score and you're looking at +7. 15% success rate on spells makes spells with a save generally more worthless than they already are, and people will just continue using the no save, just win spells.