What criteria goes into determining saving throws?

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Again, I am confused over the basic principles of the game (over thinking).

Can somebody (probably Syl ) explain to me why one character has better saving throws than another at the same level?

If possible, please provide an example.

Such as: LV 7 Mage vs. LV 7 Fighter

or something along those lines...

I'm just trying to figure out where saving throws start and how they get better for each character class.

Thanks,

Immoral

 

That is pen & paper D&D stuff that you won't find in the BG2 manual (same goes for weapon non-proficiency charts and to-hit progression charts). BG2 uses all those progression charts, but just doesn't explain them.

There's not really an easy explanation. Some classes have better saving throws against certain things (Fighters, Paladins, and Rangers save better than other classes vs. breath weapons, for example, because of their hearty nature; Druids and Clerics save better vs. Death Magic, because of their divine protection; Wizards and Sorcerers save better vs. Spells, because of their familiarity with magic; and I think Rogues and Bards save better vs. Rods and Wands, because of their knack for mastering magic objects [at least in paper D&D]).

Also, some classes have their saving throws improved every other level, while other classes improve only every four or five levels. Yet again, some classes improve only a point at a time (going from 12 to 11, for example), while other classes improve one to three points at a time, depending on the saving throw in question (breath weapon, spells, etc.).

There really is no easy way to describe it; each class or group of classes have their own saving throw progression chart. My advice is to go to a bookstore, find the AD&D Player's Handbook or Dungeon Master's Guide (not the 3E editions, though, because they've changed the way saving throws are made in 3E), and check out the saving throw chart inside.

 

Here are your saving throws. These are BASE numbers. Some characters of respected levels may have higher or lower numbers than those listed due to items or innate abilities *OR* because they changed them to their own accord (BioWare):

PARALYZATION, POISON, OR DEATH MAGIC

Priests

Level 01-03 = 10
Level 04-06 = 09
Level 07-09 = 07
Level 10-12 = 06
Level 13-15 = 05
Level 16-18 = 04
Level 19 ++ = 02

Rogues

Level 01-04 = 13
Level 05-08 = 12
Level 09-12 = 11
Level 13-16 = 10
Level 17-20 = 09
Level 21 ++ = 08

Warriors

Level 01-02 = 14
Level 03-04 = 13
Level 05-06 = 11
Level 07-08 = 10
Level 09-10 = 08
Level 11-12 = 07
Level 13-14 = 05
Level 15-16 = 04
Level 17 ++ = 03

Wizards

Level 01-05 = 14
Level 06-10 = 13
Level 11-15 = 11
Level 16-20 = 10
Level 21 ++ = 08

ROD, STAFF, OR WAND

Priests

Level 01-03 = 14
Level 04-06 = 13
Level 07-09 = 11
Level 10-12 = 10
Level 13-15 = 09
Level 16-18 = 08
Level 19 ++ = 06

Rogues

Level 01-04 = 14
Level 05-08 = 12
Level 09-12 = 10
Level 13-16 = 08
Level 17-20 = 06
Level 21 ++ = 04

Warriors

Level 01-02 = 16
Level 03-04 = 15
Level 05-06 = 13
Level 07-08 = 12
Level 09-10 = 10
Level 11-12 = 09
Level 13-14 = 07
Level 15-16 = 06
Level 17 ++ = 05

Wizards

Level 01-05 = 11
Level 06-10 = 09
Level 11-15 = 07
Level 16-20 = 05
Level 21 ++ = 03

PETRIFICATION OR PLOYMORPH

Priests

Level 01-03 = 13
Level 04-06 = 12
Level 07-09 = 10
Level 10-12 = 09
Level 13-15 = 08
Level 16-18 = 07
Level 19 ++ = 05

Rogues

Level 01-04 = 12
Level 05-08 = 11
Level 09-12 = 10
Level 13-16 = 09
Level 17-20 = 08
Level 21 ++ = 07

Warriors

Level 01-02 = 15
Level 03-04 = 14
Level 05-06 = 12
Level 07-08 = 11
Level 09-10 = 09
Level 11-12 = 08
Level 13-14 = 06
Level 15-16 = 05
Level 17 ++ = 04

Wizards

Level 01-05 = 13
Level 06-10 = 11
Level 11-15 = 09
Level 16-20 = 07
Level 21 ++ = 05

BREATH WEAPON

Priests

Level 01-03 = 16
Level 04-06 = 15
Level 07-09 = 13
Level 10-12 = 12
Level 13-15 = 11
Level 16-18 = 10
Level 19 ++ = 08

Rogues

Level 01-04 = 16
Level 05-08 = 15
Level 09-12 = 14
Level 13-16 = 13
Level 17-20 = 12
Level 21 ++ = 11

Warriors

Level 01-02 = 17
Level 03-04 = 16
Level 05-06 = 13
Level 07-08 = 12
Level 09-10 = 09
Level 11-12 = 08
Level 13-14 = 05
Level 15-16 = 04
Level 17 ++ = 04

Wizards

Level 01-05 = 15
Level 06-10 = 13
Level 11-15 = 11
Level 16-20 = 09
Level 21 ++ = 07

SPELL

Priests

Level 01-03 = 15
Level 04-06 = 14
Level 07-09 = 12
Level 10-12 = 11
Level 13-15 = 10
Level 16-18 = 09
Level 19 ++ = 07

Rogues

Level 01-04 = 15
Level 05-08 = 13
Level 09-12 = 11
Level 13-16 = 09
Level 17-20 = 07
Level 21 ++ = 05

Warriors

Level 01-02 = 17
Level 03-04 = 16
Level 05-06 = 14
Level 07-08 = 13
Level 09-10 = 11
Level 11-12 = 10
Level 13-14 = 08
Level 15-16 = 07
Level 17 ++ = 06

Wizards

Level 01-05 = 12
Level 06-10 = 10
Level 11-15 = 08
Level 16-20 = 06
Level 21 ++ = 04

Syl...

 

Thank you Neverworlder for the lengthy but informative reply. And Syl you have done it again. You gave me the exact answer I was looking for.

You are a plethora of information (probably because you own all the manuals ).

I'm just kidding, you're the best!

Thanks again to both of you,

immoral

 

Actually, I have them all memorized

Syl...