Saving Throws
A saving throw is a roll made by a character or monster to resist a harmful special attack or magical effect.
Contents
Categories
There are five saving throw categories, used in the following situations:
- Death or Poison (D): When targeted by a death ray or exposed to poison.
- Wands (W): When targeted by an effect from a magical wand.
- Paralysis or Petrification (P): When targeted by an effect that paralyses or turns to stone.
- Breath Attacks (B): When targeted by the breath of a dragon (or other monster with a breath attack).
- Spells, Rods, or Staves (S): When targeted by a baneful spell or an effect from a magical rod or staff.
When to Roll a Saving Throw
The description of a monster, spell, magic item, or other effect indicates when a saving throw should be rolled and which category is to be saved against.
Saving Throw Tables
Characters: Each character class has its own table denoting the saving throw values of characters of each experience level.
Monsters: Most monsters use the saving throw table under Combat Tables. Some monsters’ descriptions may note that they use the table for a specific character class.
Rolling a Saving Throw
The player or referee must roll 1d20 and try to get equal or over the appropriate saving throw value. A result less than the saving throw value is a failure.
Successful Saves
Damaging effects: A successful save against an effect that causes damage means that the damage is halved.
Other effects: A successful saving throw against an effect that does not cause damage means the effect has been entirely avoided or negated.
Saving Throws Versus Poison
Failure: A failed save against poison is usually fatal.
Damage: If a poisonous attack also inflicts damage, the damage is not affected by the success or failure of the saving throw.
