What are saving throws against?

What are Saving Throws Against?

Saving throws are a crucial aspect of the 5th edition of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D). They represent an attempt to resist a spell, trap, poison, disease, or similar threat that is affecting a character. In this article, we will delve into the world of saving throws and explore what they are, when to use them, and how to make them.

What are Saving Throws Against?

Saving throws are not something that a character can decide to make on their own. Instead, they are forced to make a saving throw when they are affected by a spell, trap, poison, disease, or other harmful effect. The saving throw is an attempt to resist the effect and mitigate its impact.

Types of Saving Throws

There are several types of saving throws in D&D, including:

• Constitution Saving Throws: These are used to resist damage, exhaustion, and other physical effects.
• Dexterity Saving Throws: These are used to resist physical effects, such as being knocked prone or becoming entangled.
• Intelligence Saving Throws: These are used to resist magical effects, such as being charmed or dominated.
• Wisdom Saving Throws: These are used to resist mental effects, such as being frightened or confused.
• Charisma Saving Throws: These are used to resist social effects, such as being intimidated or beguiled.

When to Use Saving Throws

Saving throws are used in a variety of situations, including:

• Against Spells: Saving throws can be used to resist the effects of spells, such as fireballs, lightning bolts, and charm spells.
• Against Traps: Saving throws can be used to resist the effects of traps, such as poison darts, falling blocks, and spiky ceilings.
• Against Poisons: Saving throws can be used to resist the effects of poisons, such as becoming paralyzed or dying.
• Against Diseases: Saving throws can be used to resist the effects of diseases, such as becoming sick or dying.
• Against Other Effects: Saving throws can be used to resist other effects, such as being knocked unconscious or becoming lost.

How to Make Saving Throws

To make a saving throw, a character must use their relevant ability score (Constitution, Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma) and add their proficiency bonus to the roll. The total result is then compared to the saving throw DC (difficulty class), which is determined by the game master (GM).

Saving Throw DCs

The saving throw DC is determined by the GM and can vary depending on the situation. Here are some general guidelines for saving throw DCs:

• Easy: 10-15
• Medium: 15-20
• Hard: 20-25
• Very Hard: 25-30
• Extremely Hard: 30+

Example Saving Throw

Let’s say a character is trying to resist the effects of a fireball spell. The fireball spell has a saving throw DC of 18. The character has a Constitution score of 14 and is proficient in saving throws. To make the saving throw, the character would roll a d20 and add their Constitution score and proficiency bonus to the result. If the total result equals or exceeds the saving throw DC of 18, the character resists the effects of the fireball spell.

Conclusion

Saving throws are an important aspect of D&D, allowing characters to resist the effects of spells, traps, poisons, diseases, and other harmful effects. By understanding when and how to make saving throws, characters can increase their chances of success and survival in the world of D&D.