Appendix A: Character Saving-Throws

When wracked by black sorcery, dragon fire, gorgon-visage, or other such baleful perils, one makes a saving throw in hopes of avoiding calamity. In order to make a saving throw, roll a 20-sided die and compare the result to the target number. A roll equal or greater than said number means the character is either unaffected (death, poison, most spells, paralysis, petrification) or suffers but halved damage (breath weapon, some spells). A roll lesser than said number means the hazard takes full effect. The target number is determined by the class and experience level of the character, and the type of hazard being saved against.

Saving-Throw Matrix

Character Class and Experience Level	Death or Poison	Rod, Staff, or Wand		Paralysis or Petrification	Breath Weapon	Spell*
Clerics	1-3	10	14	13	16	15
	4-6	9	13	12	15	14
	7-9	7	11	10	13	12
	10-12	6	10	9	12	11
Fighters	1-2	14	16	15	17	17
	3-4	13	15	14	16	1
	5-6	11	13	12	13	14
	7-8	10	12	11	12	13
	9-10	8	10	9	9	11
	11-12	7	9	8	8	10
Magicians	1-5	14	11	13	15	12
	6-10	13	9	11	13	10
	11-12	11	7	9	11	8
Thieves	1-4	13	14	12	16	15
	5-8	12	12	11	15	13
	9-12	11	10	10	14	11

*Excluding those for which another saving throw type is specified.

Explanation of Saving-Throw Types

Some hazards may fall under more than one of the following categories, in such cases it falls to the referee to make a judgement as to which is most applicable. As a general rule, a save versus death can be used for assorted physical hazards, a save versus spell for assorted mental hazards.

Death or Poison: All poisons and diseases, and all spells or artifices which kill outright.

Rod, Staff, or Wand: All magical effects originating from a rod, staff or wand, save those otherwise assigned.

Paralysis or Petrification: All spells, artifices, and foes capable of inducing paralysis or petrification.

Breath Weapon: Dragon-fire and other such baleful ejecta. Can also be used to determine survival when enduring non-magical flame.

Spell: All magic not otherwise assigned.

Monster Saving-Throws

Non-player characters save as the most analogous class of character. Thus, a pikeman would save as a fighter, a friar as a cleric, and so forth. Approximate level is also factored such that a knight should save a fighter of higher level than does a mere levy. Those non-player characters not obviously analogous to any adventurer type save as thieves.

Monsters of mannish shape such as orcs save as do non-player characters. Those more bestial save according to a different matrix; see Monsters and Treasure, pg. #. Undead need never save versus poison or paralysis, and the mindless undead, such as skeletons, need never save versus spells with mental effects.

Saving Throw Modifiers

Referee Stipulations: The referee may assign modifiers to saving throws for reasons and in scenarios not covered herein. It is recommended that modifiers not exceed a -4 to +4 range.

Magical Devices and Protections: Various magical items confer saving throw bonuses as noted in their item descriptions. Unless otherwise stated, these bonuses are cumulative. Note that magic armour does not protect against gas or mental spells, nor metal armour protect against electric attacks unless such exception is noted in the item description.

Environmental Factors: In certain circumstances, the surrounding environs may provide additional benefit or detriment when one is making a saving throw. Should a mage conjure lightning to strike an adventurer wading through a pool of water, a saving throw penalty is warranted. Conversely, were the adventure wracked by dragon’s fire and drove into that same pool, he might receive a bonus to his saving throw.

Regarding Poison: The potency and manner of affliction can affect the difficulty of the saving throw, and the result of success and failure. Monsters, plants, and items of peculiar strength or weakness should have their respective modifiers listed in their descriptions. Depending on the poison, failure might result in death, sickness, sleep, or vomitting. Success versus deadly poisons also likely results in vomitting, as that is the body’s method of expelling ingested toxins.