Saving throws

Saving throws are automatic dice rolls made to save against certain harmful effects, such as spells, actions or surfaces. Saves are always associated with a specific ability and are always rolled against a target Difficulty Class (DC). When successful, they reduce or prevent harmful effects.

Overview

All harmful effects that can be saved against have an associated target number – a Difficulty Class (DC) – and an ability associated with its allowed save – referred to using terms such as Strength save or Dexterity save.

When attempting a saving throw, a creature rolls a d20 and adds the save's associated ability score modifier to the result. If they are proficient in saves using that ability, they add their proficiency bonus as well.

Formula =  d20 + Ability score modifier + Proficiency bonus (if proficient)

The result is then compared against the effect's DC, and is considered a success if it equals or exceeds that number.

While the outcome of an attempted saving throw is always binary – it is either a success or a failure – the exact outcome of a successful save depends on the effect in question. Often, the damage or conditions inflicted by the associated effect will be reduced in severity, or sometimes ignored entirely.

Death saving throws

Main article: Death Saving Throw

Death saving throws are a special type of saving throw made by playable characters and companions after they have been  Downed. Three successful saves will let a creature stabilise, no longer needing to make saves, and three failures will lead to the creature becoming  Dead.

Difficulty Class

Main article: Difficulty Class

An effect's Difficulty Class depends on where it originates from, and is typically intended to be reflective of how difficult the effect is to resist.

Spells

See also: Spellcasting

Spell save DCs are calculated via the following formula:

DC = 8 + proficiency bonus + spellcasting ability modifier

The same class ability modifiers apply when casting a spell from a scroll, even when the spell being cast is not normally available to the caster's class. For instance, a cleric casting  Shatter from a scroll (a spell not normally available to clerics) adds its Wisdom modifier to the saving throw DC.

Weapon actions

When a creature uses a weapon action that forces another to make a save, the DC is determined using the following formula:

DC = 10 + Strength or Dexterity + Inherent Weapon Action Bonus DC

Other effects

In the case of threats that don't originate from a spell caster, such as a trap or a poisonous apple, the game sets the DC based on how serious the threat is intended to be. For example, a rather ineffective trap could have a DC of just 5, whereas an effective trap could have a DC of 15. A slightly spoiled tart could impose a Constitution save of DC 5, whereas a potent venom from a snake could impose a DC 15 Constitution save on the victim.

Features that affect saves

Some class features, racial features, spells, and conditions affect saving throws. For example:

• Race:
  • Elves have advantage on saving throws against being  Charmed
• Class:
  • The Paladin ability  Aura of Protection grants nearby allies a bonus to saves equal to Paladin's Charisma modifier.
• Spells:
  • The Resistance cantrip adds a 1d4 bonus to saves on the target.
  • The  Bless spell adds a 1d4 bonus to saves on the target; upcasting increases the number of targets.
  • The  Bane spell incurs a 1d4 penalty to saves on the target; upcasting increases the number of targets.
• Items:
  • A +1 Bonus to saving throws can be found on non-magical armour for Dex (Light Helmets), Con (Medium Helmets), and Str (Medium Gauntlets).
  • Cloak of Protection adds +1 to all saving throws.
  • Ring of Protection adds +1 to all saving throws.
  • Dark Justiciar Helm provides a +1 bonus to Constitution saving throws, and an additional +1 bonus to all saving throws if the wearer is obscured (note: stacks with itself for a total of +2 bonus for Constitution saves).
• Conditions:
  •  Bleeding incurs disadvantage on Constitution saves.
  • Disease commonly incurs disadvantage on Strength or Charisma saves, such as  Filth Fever or  Flesh Rot.
  •  Prone incurs disadvantage on both Strength and Dexterity saves; for example, from  Command: Grovel or  Tasha's Hideous Laughter.