Saving throws

A saving throw—also called a save—represents an attempt to resist a spell, a trap, a poison, a disease, ar a similar threat. You don’t normally decide to make a saving throw; you are forced to make one because your character ar creature is at risk of harm.

To make a saving throw, roll 2d10 and add the appropriate bonuses.

Table of contents

Saving throws

Fortitude

Fortitude measures the inherent toughness, mass, and resilience of your physique. Use your Constitution for your Fortitude saving throw. Use Fortitude to:

  • Resist effects imposed upon your body and physical manipulation such as bright lights, body control or manipulation, and conditions imposed physically

  • Resist poisons and diseases

  • Resist blood and life drains

  • Resist acid, cold, concussion, fire, necrotic, poison, and radiant damage

  • Resist dehydration, drowning, sleep deprivation, starvation, and suffocation

  • Hold your breath

  • March or labor for hours without rest

Reflex

Reflex measures your ability to avoid. Use the average of your Strength and Dexterity for your Reflex saving. Use Reflex to:

  • Dodge effects that would not be stopped by armor such as rays and beams of energy, or a cocoon that wraps around you

  • Dodge out of the way of area effects with many objects or projectiles such as rocks falling, a hail of arrows, a wall of whirling blades, or an ice storm spell

  • Dodge out of the way of area effects such as a red dragon’s fiery breath, a fireball spell, or a call lightning spell

  • Dodge out of the way of effects such as vines or tentacles

  • Avoid being ensnared by vines, pinned to the wall by a spear, or tangled in a spider’s web

  • Balance and avoid being pushed or pulled by certain effects

  • Move out of the way of the earth moving beneath you

Will

Will measures your strength of will, self-discipline, and devotion. Use the average of the highest two abilities from your Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma for your Will saving throw. Use Will to:

  • Concentrate on a spell

  • Resist effects imposed upon your mind and mental manipulation such as emotional and mental assaults, mind control, memory modification, insanity, being charmed, confused, or frightened, and other conditions imposed mentally

  • Resist energy and spirit drains

  • Resist psychic damage

  • Resist curses, fate effects, and mental connections via divination

  • Overcome pain

  • Resist teleportation and banishment

  • Resist being magically put to sleep and nightmares

  • Resist possession

  • Resist time distortions

  • Resist your senses being distorted by illusions or similar false sensory effects

A saving throw can be modified by a situational bonus or penalty and can be affected by advantage and disadvantage, as determined by the GM.

Each class gives capability in one or more saving throws. The mage, for example, is capable with Will saves. As with skill aptitudes, capability in a saving throw lets a character add half their Aptitude Bonus (min 1) to saving throws made using that save. Some creatures have saving throw aptitudes as well.

The Difficulty for a saving throw is determined by the effect that causes it. For example, the Difficulty for a saving throw allowed by a spell is determined by the caster’s spellcasting ability and Aptitude Bonus.

The result of a successful or failed saving throw is also detailed in the effect that allows the save. Usually, a successful save means that a creature suffers no harm, or reduced harm, from an effect.


See Saving throw success rates.