Saving throws is a mechanic in Pathfinder: Kingmaker.

Saving throws, or saves, represent a character's ability to reduce or prevent the effects spells and special abilities. The subject uses a random number between 1 and 20, then adds their appropriate saving throw bonus. If the saving throw result matches or beats the DC of the effect, then the effect is reduced as described by the effect. Sometimes this means the effect is completely avoided, but other times it simply is reduced in severity. If, before any modifiers, the random number is a 20, it is a success and a result of 1 is always a failure.

Types

All characters have three types of saving throws: Fortitude, Reflex, and Will

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  • Fortitude save bonus is the base fortitude save from classes plus the Constitution modifier. Fortitude saves are generally made to resist effects that change the health or physical form of a character. Some examples might be poisons, diseases, death effects, or harmful transmutation. The idea is that the character is simply tough enough to shrug off whatever is trying to change them.

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  • Reflex save bonus is the base reflex save from classes plus the Dexterity modifier. Reflex saves are usually made to resist effects that restrain as well as avoid damage from indirect attacks or area attacks. The idea is that the character is nimble enough to either wiggle out of restraints or fast enough to find at least partial cover from a blast.
  • The Evasion abilty reduces damage to 0 when it would normally be halved on a reflex save. With Improved Evasion, damage is halved even on a failed save.

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  • Will save bonus is the base will save from classes plus the Wisdom modifier. Will saves are mostly made to resist effects that affect the mind or senses. They are typically used against fear, enchantment, illusion, or negative energy effects. The idea is that the character is mentally strong enough to power through whatever is trying to change their thoughts.

Bonuses and Penalties

Like most bonuses, saving throw bonuses do not normally stack if they are of the same type. Common bonuses types include luck, morale, racial, resistance, and sacred. While this is also true of penalties, many penalties do not have a type and so do stack. However, it is important to note that normally modifiers from the same effect, even if from different sources, do not stack. For example, if a character is affected by two different castings of Bane, even if from two different casters and the fear saving throw penalty being untyped, only receives one of the spell's penalty.

Sickened and shaken conditions each reduce saving throws by 2.

Class Differences

Classes	Fort	Ref	Will
Alchemist	High	High	Low
Barbarian	High	Low	Low
Bard	Low	High	High
Cleric	High	Low	High
Druid	High	Low	High
Fighter	High	Low	Low
Inquisitor	High	Low	High
Kineticist, Psychokineticist, Kinetic Knight	High	High	Low
Dark Elementalist	Low	Low	High
Magus	High	Low	High
Monk, Scaled Fist, Sensei	High	High	Low
Traditional Monk	High	High	High
Paladin	High	Low	High
Ranger	High	High	Low
Rogue	Low	High	Low
Slayer	High	High	Low
Sorcerer	Low	Low	High
Wizard	Low	Low	High
Aldori Swordlord	Low	Med	Low
Arcane Trickster	Low	Med	Med
Dragon Disciple	Med	Low	Med
Duelist	Low	Med	Low
Eldritch Knight	Med	Low	Low
Mystic Theurge	Low	Low	Med
Stalwart Defender	Med	Low	Med

Level	Low	Medium	High
1	0	1	2
2	0	1	3
3	1	2	3
4	1	2	4
5	1	3	4
6	2	3	5
7	2	4	5
8	2	4	6
9	3	5	6
10	3	5	7
11	3		7
12	4		8
13	4		8
14	4		9
15	5		9
16	5		10
17	5		10
18	6		11
19	6		11
20	6		12