Would it be unbalanced for Dex-based Fighters to choose proficiency in Dex saving throws instead of Str saving throws?

Question

Whilst building a Dex-based Fighter (an Arcane Archer), I decided to pick the Resilient feat at level 4 so that I could have proficiency in Dexterity saving throws, which makes sense given that they are a Dex-based character. Then I thought about how odd it was that they had proficiency in Strength saving throws just because they're a Fighter even though they're not a Str-based character. Sure, it makes sense for a lot of Fighters, but not all of them.

Therefore, I'm considering introducing a new homebrew rule for whenever I'm running a game and a player of mine wants to make a Dex-based Fighter:

Saving Throws: Strength or Dexterity (your choice), Constitution

The "choice" would be made at level 1 (I don't plan on allowing them to switch it back and forth).

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Given that this class is the only one listed under the Multiclassing section in the PHB (pg. 163) has having an "or" in their requirements ("Strength 13 or Dexterity 13"), this seems to fit the intent that Fighters aren't tied to Strength.

The Battlemaster archetype (PHB, pg. 73) also allows either for the saving throw for some maneuvers, again implying that Fighters are supposed to be flexible regarding using Strength or Dexterity:

Maneuver save DC: 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice)

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Would there be any problems with this? They would still be outclassed in Dexterity saving throws by Rogues and Monks once they get Evasion, so I don't see this stepping on their toes too much (at least not at higher levels), but on the other hand no class RAW allows a choice in saving throw proficiency like this, so would there be any other problems I'm overlooking?

Answer 1

Yes, it would be unbalanced. Dex, Con, and Wis are the major saving throw types, of which each class has one. Str, Int, and Cha are minor saving throws, which don't come up as often.

Str saving throws are needed for only 21 of the spells in 5e, mainly to avoid forced movement, falling prone or being restrained. Spells that force such saves include Dust Devil, Earthbind, and Control Winds. On the other hand, Dex saves are needed for 64 spells, mainly to avoid damage, such as Fireball, Lightning Bolt, and Disintegrate.

If you want to switch one out, I would suggest Dex for Con.

Answer 2

It is unbalanced to trade STR saves for DEX saves.

The three common saving throws are DEX, CON, and WIS. The three uncommon saving throws are STR, INT, and CHA. Every character class gets proficiency in one of the three common saves and one of the three uncommon saves. For example, the Fighter gets CON as its common save and STR as its uncommon save.

If you allowed the Fighter to replace STR with DEX, they would then have DEX and CON saves, which are both common saves, making them far better at saving throws than other characters. This would overpower the Fighter relative to other characters.

However, you can swap in a pair of saves from another class.

The following are the saving throw proficiencies for each class, grouped by those classes with the same proficiencies. What you can do is allow your Fighter to take both proficiencies from another class with a DEX save instead of those from the Fighter class.

• Barbarian & Fighter: STR, CON
• Bard: DEX, CHA
• Cleric, Paladin, & Warlock: WIS, CHA
• Druid & Wizard: INT, WIS
• Monk & Ranger: STR, DEX
• Rogue: DEX, INT
• Sorcerer: CON, CHA

In your case, you could allow the Fighter to take DEX and CHA saves (like a Bard), STR and DEX saves (like a Monk or Ranger), or DEX and INT saves (like a Rogue) without breaking anything in the game. Even though you're giving them DEX saves, you're taking away CON saves and replacing them with something less beneficial (CHA, STR, or INT).

Whichever pair you choose from the options described above, the Fighter still only has one common save and one uncommon save. Moreover, although DEX, CON, and WIS saves don't have the same frequency in the game, the game is balanced in such a way that each of those saves is more or less as useful as each other. (In other words, after swapping saves in the way I've described, you shouldn't have to worry that the Fighter is significantly more or less powerful than any other Fighter, just different. If you sat down and crunched the numbers, you might find that the Fighter has become slightly more or less powerful, but not in a way that would be problematic at the table.)

Note that the pair of CON and INT and the pair of STR and WIS shouldn't be problematic, either, but no class in the core game uses either of those pairs (although some Unearthed Arcana supplements have done so). It really shouldn't matter what pair you pick as long as it includes one common and one uncommon save. The reason I listed all the existing pairs in the game above is that it's easier to get a feel for the theme behind each pair when there's already a class that goes with it, whereas coming up with a pair on your own requires you to ascertain that feel for yourself.

Answer 3

I don't understand why you think that STR save proficiency doesn't make sense for a DEX based character or why a DEX save proficiency makes sense.

Compare with a wizard: they get INT and WIS, even if they are INT based and likely to dump WIS.

In other words, the source of proficiency is your class, not your ability scores; you spent time working on a specific discipline and therefore are able to handle the situations covered by those saves better than most.

Neither is having proficiency in a main save necessarily a good thing; you become better at it, and for a major save it's of course nice, but, one the other hand, you might want a save in an unused score to round up your weaknesses.

bvstuart mentioned why it would be unbalanced, but also consider the potential for multiclassing; a level 1 dip in fighter is already attractive for armour, second wind, and the CON save (plus fighting style); adding a DEX save makes it even better.

Nevertheless, I'd approach it this way:

1. 1 ASI + proficiency in DEX is worth 2 ASI (Resilient feat), therefore the proficiency is worth 1 ASI.
2. The STR prof is worth less than the DEX prof.
3. Skilled gives you prof to 3 skills

Therefore, gain prof in DEX (1 ASI) in exchange for prof in one skill + STR (0.6 ASI + <1 ASI). Perhaps a bit steep but we also haven't considered that it's a choice the character can make and flexibility is worth something as well.