Save or Cry: save matrix design

I've been looking for a standardized method for creating a saving throw matrix.  Something that I can use to create a new class with a unique saving throw matrix that is comparable with saves in either OSRIC or Labyrinth Lord.

I couldn't find it, I don't think it exists. 

So I made it up myself.  Using this system I can create an old school style save matrix for any new class I create.  The saves will be fairly balanced between the classes, but still have plenty of quirks.  The results aren't quite in line with OSRIC or LL, but they're kinda close.  Here it is...

Saves for Zero Level

Poison, Disease, or Death: +6

Madness, Fear, or Charm: +5

Paralyze, Petrify, or Polymorph: +4

Dragon Breath or Energy Blast: +3

Spells, Artifacts, or Runes: +2

• Each class has a favored save category that goes up +1 each level
• Each class gets two other +1s each level to distribute into other categories
• No category can gain more than +1 per level

So, that's it.

When adding a new class all I need to do is assign it a favored category.  Then I can plot out where the bonuses go for each level, and convert it into a save matrix (20 - [category bonus] = target number) so that it looks like an old school save chart.

Or I could put the bonuses straight onto the character sheet.  Then to roll a save the PC just rolls a d20, adds the bonus, and a result of 20 or more equals success.

The results don't line up as neatly as I intended.  If I try to recreate the saves for Fighter/Cleric/Thief/M-U they don't turn out exactly right, but they are fairly close.  I'll stand these new matrices up next to the old familiar ones, so you can see for yourself.

Favored Category by Class

Fighters: Dragon Breath and Poison*

Clerics: Poison

Thief: Petrify

M-U: Spells

*Fighters get an additional favored category.  Improved saves are one of the few perks for the fighter class. 

Class/Level.....OSRIC...............The New Hotness............Labyrinth Lord

Poison / Wand(Charm) / Petrify / Breath / Spell

Fighter

0.............16/18/17/20/19..............14/15/16/17/18..............14/15/16/17/18

1.............14/16/15/17/17..............13/15/15/16/17..............12/13/14/15/16

3.............13/15/14/16/16..............11/13/14/14/16..............12/13/14/15/16
5.............11/13/12/13/14...............9 /12/13/12/14..............10/11/12/13/14
7.............10/12/11/12/13...............7 /11/12/10/12...............8 /9 /10/9 /12
9..............8 /10 /9 /9 /11................5 /9 /10 /8 /12................8 /9 /10/9 /12
11............7 /9 /8 /8 / 10..................3 /8 /9 /6 /10..................6 /7 /8 /7 /10
13.............5 /7 /6 /5 /8....................2 /7 /8 /4 / 8....................4 /5 /6 /5 /8
15.............4 /6 /5 /4 /7....................2 /6 /7 /2 / 6....................4 /5 /6 /5 /8
17.............3 /5 /4 /4 /6....................2 /4 /5 /2 / 6....................4 /4 /5 /4 /7
19+..........2 /4 /3 /3 /5....................2 /3 /4 /2 / 4....................3 /3 /4 /4 /6

Cleric
1...........10/14/13/16/15..................13/14/16/17/17...............11/12/14/16/15
3...........10/14/13/16/15..................11/14/15/16/15...............11/12/14/16/15
5............9 /13/12/15/14...................9 /13/14/15/14...............9 /10/12/14/12
7............7 /11/10/13/12...................7 /12/13/14/13...............9 /10/12/14/12
9............7 /11/10/13/12...................5 /11/12/13/12................7 /8 /10/11/9
11..........6 /10/9 /12/11....................3 /10/11/12/11................7 /8 /10/11/9
13..........6 /10/9 /12/11....................2 /9 /10/12/ 9...................3 /4 /8 /8 /6
15..........5 /9 /8 /11/10.....................2 /7 /10/11/8....................3 /4 /8 /8 /6
17..........4 /8 /7 /10/ 9......................2 /6 /9 /10/ 7.....................2 /4 /6 /6 /5
19+........2/ 6/ 5 /8 / 7.......................2 /6 /7 /8 / 7.....................2 /4 /6 /6 /5

Thief
1...........13/14/12/16/15....................14/15/15/16/17................14/15/13/16/14
3...........13/14/12/16/15....................13/14/13/16/15................14/15/13/16/14
5...........12/12/11/15/13....................13/13/11/15/13................12/13/11/14/12
7...........12/12/11/15/13....................12/12/9 /14/12.................12/13/11/14/12
9...........11/10/10/14/11....................11/11/7 /14/10.................10/11/9 /12/10 
11.........11/10/10/14/11....................10/10/5 /12/10.................10/11/9 /12/10
13..........10/8 /9 /13/ 9........................9 /9 /3 /11/ 9.....................8 /9 /7 /10/ 8
15..........10/8 /9 /13/ 9........................8 /8 /2 /10/ 8.....................8 /9 /7 /10/ 8
17...........9 /6 /8 /12/ 7........................6 /7 /2 /10/ 7.....................6 /7 /5 /8 / 6
19...........9 /6 /8 /12/ 7........................6 /6 /2 /8 / 6......................6 /7 /5 /8 / 6
21+........8 /4 /7 /11/ 5........................6 /6 /2 /8 / 6......................6 /7 /5 /8 / 6

Magic User
1...........14/11/13/15/12...................14/14/15/17/17..............13/13/13/16/14
3...........14/11/13/15/12...................13/13/14/16/15..............13/13/13/16/14
5...........14/11/13/15/12...................13/12/12/15/13..............13/13/13/16/14
7...........13/9 /11/13/10....................12/11/11/14/11..............11/11/11/14/12
9...........13/9 /11/13/10....................11/10/10/13/ 9...............11/11/11/14/12
11..........11/7 /9 /11/ 8......................10/9 /9 /12/ 7...................9 /9 /9 /12/ 8
13..........11/7 /9 /11/ 8.......................9 /8 /8 /11/ 5...................9 /9 /9 /12/ 8
15..........11/7 /9 /11/ 8.......................8 /7 /7 /10/ 3...................9 /9 /9 /12/ 8
17.........10/5 /7 /9 / 6.........................7 /6 /6 /9 / 2.....................7 /5 /6 /8 / 6
19.........10/5 /7 /9 / 6.........................6 /5 /5 /8 / 2..................... 6 /4 /5 /7 / 4 
21+........8 /3 /5 /7 / 4.........................6 /5 /5 /8 / 2..................... 6 /4 /5 /7 / 4



As you can see, the saves generated don't really match OSRIC or LL.  The favored categories improve too quickly.  Is that really a problem though?  Maybe it's a feature?

Honestly, letting each class excel in a single save category seems pretty cool to me.  I'm happy enough with the results to use them for my own games. I'm going to start writing up the races/classes for Ezzin now and use this system to give unique saves to each of them.

If anyone has an idea of how to rework the math so that the results line up better with the old school charts, I'd be grateful.  As always, any comments are welcome.