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This is something that came up earlier when I was playing a game against Necrons with my Eldar. We had a Wraith in close combat with a Wraithlord, mainly just to try and tie each other up. He had approximately 20 or so warriors stood behind this combat, and realised as it was his turn next, his best option to remove the Wraithlord would, at this point, for his Wraith to fail his invulnerable saves, so he could unload his warriors shooting on the Wraithlord, unluckily for him his Wraith managed to pass all three invulnerable saves, so it dragged on a bit longer. After this I was thinking, is there actually any part of the rule book that specifies you must take a save, or could you opt not to in situations like this? From what I can see the book only says 'may take a save' and 'can take a save' not 'must take a save'. Is taking a save just one of those things that people sort of think of as being mandatory as it is rarely ever beneficial to not take them

They are not optional.

Where does it say that? Not trying to be confrontational or anything, I just can't see a line anywhere that says they are obligatory

Under 'Take Saves & Remove Casualties':

"The model gets to make a saving throw, if it has one."

"Continue allocating Wounds to the closest model, taking saves..."

The former statement suggests it could be optional however the latter statement makes it clear it is non-optional.

 statu wrote:
Where does it say that? Not trying to be confrontational or anything, I just can't see a line anywhere that says they are obligatory

The rules say you make saves when you are eligible. It doesn't say they are optional.

Simply put, there's no rule allowing you to skip a models save.

You might want Bob the Guardsman to die, but Bob doesn't have the same plan!

I'm even just looking at it from a fluff perspective..... how do you choose to fail a save? Sure, if you're in cover you could stand out in the open I guess, but how do you fail armor in the middle of melee, or worse yet how would you force yourself to fail your invulnerable save?

Then you also run into the issue of what guy out on the field would actually just kill himself? "Hey, you're taking a bit too long to beat this guy on your own, why don't you go kill yourself because these guys are better than you?"

 Mr. Shine wrote:
Under 'Take Saves & Remove Casualties':

"The model gets to make a saving throw, if it has one."

"Continue allocating Wounds to the closest model, taking saves..."

The former statement suggests it could be optional however the latter statement makes it clear it is non-optional.

Brilliant, thank you

I bet your models fail more morale checks than average.

You can remove a model from the table at any time.

MSRC27 wrote:
You can remove a model from the table at any time.

Rules quote?

MSRC27 wrote:
You can remove a model from the table at any time.

That's a new one to me!

 kingbobbito wrote:
I'm even just looking at it from a fluff perspective..... how do you choose to fail a save? Sure, if you're in cover you could stand out in the open I guess, but how do you fail armor in the middle of melee, or worse yet how would you force yourself to fail your invulnerable save?

Then you also run into the issue of what guy out on the field would actually just kill himself? "Hey, you're taking a bit too long to beat this guy on your own, why don't you go kill yourself because these guys are better than you?"

How do you fail a save voluntarily? Like this:

https://youtu.be/8kpHK4YIwY4?t=110

MSRC27 wrote:
You can remove a model from the table at any time.

Can you explain where you got that idea from?

Lendys wrote:

 kingbobbito wrote:
I'm even just looking at it from a fluff perspective..... how do you choose to fail a save? Sure, if you're in cover you could stand out in the open I guess, but how do you fail armor in the middle of melee, or worse yet how would you force yourself to fail your invulnerable save?

Then you also run into the issue of what guy out on the field would actually just kill himself? "Hey, you're taking a bit too long to beat this guy on your own, why don't you go kill yourself because these guys are better than you?"

How do you fail a save voluntarily? Like this:

https://youtu.be/8kpHK4YIwY4?t=110

Well, I can definitely agree that is one way to do it

I was thinking more along the lines though of what if Obi Wan was wearing terminator armor. Even if he just stood there not really doing anything there's a good chance he wouldn't die (assuming light sabers are similar stats wise to a power sword).

 kingbobbito wrote:

Lendys wrote:

 kingbobbito wrote:
I'm even just looking at it from a fluff perspective..... how do you choose to fail a save? Sure, if you're in cover you could stand out in the open I guess, but how do you fail armor in the middle of melee, or worse yet how would you force yourself to fail your invulnerable save?

Then you also run into the issue of what guy out on the field would actually just kill himself? "Hey, you're taking a bit too long to beat this guy on your own, why don't you go kill yourself because these guys are better than you?"

How do you fail a save voluntarily? Like this:

https://youtu.be/8kpHK4YIwY4?t=110

Well, I can definitely agree that is one way to do it

I was thinking more along the lines though of what if Obi Wan was wearing terminator armor. Even if he just stood there not really doing anything there's a good chance he wouldn't die (assuming light sabers are similar stats wise to a power sword).

They're 5th ed power swords.

Obi Wan didn't realise it was going to be 5th edition that night.

I was reading some fan made Star Wars codexs yesterday and they described lightsabers as being
Rng- S:user Ap:1 Type: melee, fleshbane, get's hot, smash
If the wielder is a psyker, they lose get's hot and gain a 4++, if the psyker is master level 3, the save is a 3++.
Thought that was cool. I didn't really like smash, all it does is give some anti tank potential to a lightsaber, but other than that.

Anyways, I'm off topic. For fluff I'll say they have to take their save unless they're fearless or something. I can't say anything to RAW though.

edit for grammer

Most places say "may take a X save..."

And the second part metioned says (completely) "taking saves as usual," meaning no change to save rules.

However, as several have mentioned, saves simulate the intervention of wargear, cover, etc. To refuse a save is unrealistic, since that tree will probably stop shrapnel, and armor can stop projectiles - whether the target wants it to or not. I would posit that, with this in mind, saves are not optional.