Old-school dragon games tend to have half a dozen categories of saving throw—poison, petrification, breath weapon, and so on. These are used to defend against various effects—mostly magical—and get better as they advance in level. But keeping track of them is awkward.

Comparing the old table with the revised 2e table, we can see that both the numbers and categories are pretty arbitrary. Are rods and staves more like wands or more like spells? But they start around 14 or 16 for most things for most classes and end up around 5 or 6 by high level, except for death ray and poison, which is more generous.

The Simplification

So, instead, we can just say that every saving throw has a target of 15, and you apply your 5e-style proficiency bonus (or a “level bonus” equal to half your level rounded down). And most allow the character to use a special class modifier for a certain save or two.

Special Bonuses

To provide some of the variation of the old systems, we can say things like, “clerics get +4 vs death magic and poison”. And, “wizards get +4 vs rods, staves, wands, and spells”. And maybe, “dwarves and halflings get +3 vs poison”.

As you advance, some classes can offer a saving throw bonus for certain things as an option; maybe, “+2 to one ability and +2 to saves vs death magic & poison” vs a feat.

If you really like adaptive advancement, you might say, “Every time you make a saving throw vs any of these categories, you get a +1 on future saves vs that category.” Spell should not be among the ones that work like this, since that’s by far the most common type of save.

Improving the Saves Themselves

Some types of saves have always been a “save-or-suck” situation. As a general rule, such effects should have warnings that allow careful players to avoid the effects in the first place.

I recommend my recovery roll mechanism to create a middle ground of results. If you do, I suggest boosting the save target a little, maybe just to 16.

• Mild Poison: After 1d4 rounds, you become dizzy and nauseated for 10 minutes; make a saving throw using your constitution modifier to take 1d6 damage or else take 3d6 damage (recover for 2d6).
• Powerful Poison: After 1 round, you become incapacitated with sickness for 1d4 x10 minutes; make a saving throw using your constitution modifier to take 2d6 damage or else be reduced to zero hit points (recover for 3d6).
• Paralyzation: Make a saving throw using your constitution modifier to be slowed for 1 round or else become paralyzed (recover for being slowed for 2 rounds).
• Breath Weapon: Make a saving throw using your dexterity modifier to dodge and take 1d6 damage or else take 5d6 damage (recover for 3d6).