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From: jims@hcrvax.UUCP (Jim Sullivan)
Newsgroups: net.games.frp
Subject: Re: NO Saving Throw
Message-ID: <1885@hcrvax.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 17-Jul-85 08:46:33 EDT
Article-I.D.: hcrvax.1885
Posted: Wed Jul 17 08:46:33 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 19-Jul-85 06:51:08 EDT
References: <438@busch.UUCP> <1453@shark.UUCP> <2145@sdcrdcf.UUCP>
Organization: Human Computing Resources, Toronto
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> I'd like to go on record as intensely disliking No Saving Throw spells.
> This particularly applies to No Saving Throw and You Die spells.  I view
> the saving throw as the victim's chance of pulling off a minor protective
> magic (something like crossing one's fingers and saying "Avert!).  Anyone
> can do it; mages have a MUCH better chance of doing it right.  Dwarves
> are good at it but lousy at normal offensive magic.
> 
> But whatever you think a saving throw is, it feels *wrong* for someone to
> be able to significantly affect a victim on a 100% chance basis.  No roll
> to hit, no chance of dodging/parrying:  just DOOM!

Well, you're on record.  I, however, like No Saving Throw spells.  Especially
when going against monsters with magic resistance.  Magic Resistance is,
I feel, grossly unfair.  Take two parties, equal in every way except for
MR, and the MR party will win, more often than not.  So those spells with
NST are needed.  Instead of two rolls (one for MR, the other the ST), the
monster only gets one.  And because high level monsters get high level ST's,
you need something to stop them.

As for it feeling wrong to have a 100% chance to kill, think of modern
warfare.  There are alot of weapons (today) with 100% chance to kill.
If your DM is being a bastard, and using these spells to kill the party 
(for example, "Oh, you walked into a sphere of annihallation" (sp)),
then kill the DM.

> The problem is that D&D saving throws get too easy as you go up levels.

No, the problem is monster's ST's go up too fast, and unrealistically.
Nasty monsters, with lots of hit die, and little intelligence save better
that intelligent MU's with few hit die, even though the MU's have seen/used
the spell several times !

> --Lee Gold

Jim Sullivan 	<---	victim of too many all weekend fantasy games