Can someone explain the saving throw rules to me?

[Brian]

Firstly, are they still reflex, will and fortitude? Secondly, where are they coming from? I keep reading people saying the first level of the class you start as gives you your saving throws. Does that means if I have 16 (+3) strength and 14 (+2) constitution as a fighter at level 1, I have 5 in all my saving throws?

[Wuorg]

Read this: https://bg3.wiki/wiki/Saving_throws

That will explain it in more detail than a comment can. Short answer is that instead of Reflex, Will, and Fortitude, you have Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Wisdom, Intelligence, and Charisma Saving Throws. They are used more-or-less the same, though. Your bonus is specific to each stat.

[Brian]

It can't be summarized in a few sentences? Seriously? I don't need detailed calculations, I just want the general concepts. Why does the first level class matter so much?

[Lamprey Unbirthing]

When an enemy makes certain attacks, you roll a saving throw to resist it, or reduce its effect. Different spells/actions require different saving throws (strength vs. wisdom for example), and only that stat effects that saving throw (If you need to make a strength saving throw, only strength affects the roll, not constitution). The bonuses you get to saving throws come from your stats, but also your starting class, which gives saving throw proficiency in two stats, which means your proficiency bonus gets added to the saving throw for those stats (2 at level 1, 3 at level 5, 4 at level 9) which means your character succeeds those saving throws more often.

This means for Strength throws, you get +3 from 16 strength, and then +2-+4 from your class as you level up.

If you are single classing, you don't have to think about it too much, if you multiclass, which class you start as comes into play, say you want to multiclass Sorcerer and Warlock, it's recommended you start with Sorcerer because it gives CON proficiency, which mages use a lot.

[Detective Costeau]

Short version: 1st level class is the only one you get proficiencies from.
So you can't just pick up more proficiencies by snagging a single level in another class.

Basically, all of your saves add their ability score modifier, plus your proficiency bonus for the ones your 1st level class is proficient with.

[Sonic Titan]

Originally posted by Brian:

It can't be summarized in a few sentences? Seriously? I don't need detailed calculations, I just want the general concepts. Why does the first level class matter so much?

There's about 2 short paragraphs on the wiki, Brian, and the calculation is adding one number to another. Don't make me tell Maximus about your naughtiness!

[Dusk_Army]

Your first class level determines which saves you're proficient in (generally 2, one mental, one physical). Unlike earlier editions, 5e doesn't stack the bonuses across classes, so if you were to say, go Paladin 1/Sorcerer 1 in that order, you'd still only have the Strength and Charisma proficiency from Paladin, but not the Constitution from Sorcerer (if I'm remembering who gets what off the top of my head).

Outside of feats, magic items and a small number of class features, you never gain proficiency in additional saving throws.

[Raz]

There is a Saving Throw for each attribute. Having a +3 in Strength will not help with Constitution saving Throws.

Your first level matters because every class has two stats they are Proficient in gaining a free +2 to most dice rolls in that stat on top of their stat increase as well.

A Fighter is Proficient in Strength and Constitution. If the Fighter has to do a Strength saving throw (getting shoved by an enemy) a Fight with 17 Strength would have a +3 from Strength and another +2 from Proficiency (or more if you added that as one of their abilities in character creation towards Athletics) on top of whatever their dice roll is.

The game summarizes all of this by just hovering over whatever stat window you're looking at, hitting T to inspect then hovering over whatever bolded word is in the sentence to inspect that as well.

[Brian]

Okay so then why do people make a big deal out of, say, the Constitution one? Is that for maintaining concentration spells? Is that the big reason? Otherwise I don't know why people would really care all that much which ones are being emphasized.

[Sonic Titan]

Originally posted by Brian:

Okay so then why do people make a big deal out of, say, the Constitution one? Is that for maintaining concentration spells? Is that the big reason?

Yes.

[Sentient_Toaster]

DEX, CON and WIS saves are quite common. DEX comes up a lot versus spells with physical effects, breath weapons and what-not; CON for concentration, poison, various dangerous stuff like petrification and banshee wails; WIS shows up a lot regarding mental affects re: fear and mind control.

STR saves are very rare, with low strength mostly being an issue if you're fighting a pack of shadows or if for some reason you're a packrat who wants to take everything not nailed down.

INT saves are rare, but tend to be very bad if failed when they do occur (e.g. being stunned by a mind flayer, having your mind being eaten by an intellect devourer).

CHA saves are also rare but can lead to things like being possession, banishment to another plane, not being able to leave a Forcecage, that sort of thing. BG3 doesn't throw a lot of this at the player, it's more an issue in higher-level tabletop play.

[Brian]

Man, you never know how much you like reflex will and fortitude until you don't have them any more.

[FunkyMonkey]

With saving throws, the "Big 3", as in the important ones, are Constitution, Dexterity and Wisdom. The other three are less important.

Constitution is important for any caster for keeping concentration on spells, Dexterity is often rolled against AoE damaage spells and Wisdom is often rolled against Fear, Charm and Mind control.

When you are proficient in a saving throw, you get your proficiency bonus added to it, which starts at +2 and goes up to +4. On top of that, all saving throws get their ability modifier added as a bonus. So, for example, with 14 CON and CON save proficiency you would have +4 in that save at the start of the game.

Class determines what saves you proficient in and even if you multiclass, you don't get the new classes saving throw proficiencies added. You can get Resilient as a feat, which gices you +1 in one stat and proficiency in that saving throw. Resilient CON is a feat that I always take on Wizards and Clerics for this reason.

Here are what saves each class is proficient in:
Barbarian: STR and CON
Bard: DEX and CHA
Cleric: WIS and CHA
Druid: WIS and INT
Fighter: CON and STR
Monk: DEX and STR
Paladin: WIS and CHA
Ranger: DEX and STR
Rogue: DEX and INT
Sorcerer: CON and CHA
Warlock: WIS and CHA
Wizard: WIS and INT

Hope this helps.

[Mike Garrison]

Originally posted by Brian:

It can't be summarized in a few sentences? Seriously?

Summary: If you roll higher than the target number, you reduce the effect of the attack.

[Mosey]

Originally posted by Brian:

It can't be summarized in a few sentences? Seriously? I don't need detailed calculations, I just want the general concepts. Why does the first level class matter so much?

Comes to forums to ask question, someone gives the literal game rules in question, they complain that it's too long. They then ask for more information.

Can't make this stuff up folks. OP is going to have to read, but I guess it took slightly less effort to complain about the detailed answer than it would have to read it.

[Brian]

Originally posted by Mike Garrison:

Originally posted by Brian:

It can't be summarized in a few sentences? Seriously?

Summary: If you roll higher than the target number, you reduce the effect of the attack.

Yeah thanks I know the concept of a saving throw :p