Saving throws

For a comprehensive summary of the mechanics behind all rolls and modifiers, see dice rolls.

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), and when successful will 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 its cause.

Weapon actions

If a creature uses a weapon action that forces another to make a save, the Difficulty Class (DC) is determined according to the properties of the weapon action and the attacker, using the following formula:

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

Spells

See also: Spellcasting.

If a creature casts a spell that can be saved against the DC is determined via the following formula:

DC = 8 + Proficiency bonus + Spellcasting ability modifier

The ability used to determine the spellcasting ability modifier depends on the class of the caster:

Classes sorted by which Ability Score they use for Spellcasting

Intelligence	Wisdom	Charisma
Wizard  Arcane Trickster  Eldritch Knight	Cleric  Druid  Ranger	Bard  Paladin  Sorcerer  Warlock  Barbarian (Scrolls only)

The same class ability modifiers apply when casting a spell from a scroll, even when the spell being cast is not normally available to your 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.

The proficiency needed to gain the spellcasting proficiency bonus is spellcasting. All creatures capable of casting spells through their class or class features (including feats) have proficiency. If a creature that can't normally cast spells uses a scroll or other item to cast one, it will receive its proficiency bonus based on the attack roll or saving throw DC of that spell.

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 supposed to be. For example, a rather ineffective trap could have a DC of just 5, whereas a very powerful one 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 and conditions affect saving throws:

• Elves have advantage on saving throws against being  Charmed
•  Bleeding condition incurs disadvantage on Constitution saves.
•  Bane
•  Bless
•  Resistance.