Omar Bennett
Saving throws are an essential aspect of gameplay in Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) 5th edition, allowing characters to resist harmful effects such as spells, traps, poisons, and diseases. When facing such dangers, players roll a d20 and add their character's relevant ability score modifier to determine the success or failure of their saving throw. For Constitution saving throws, the character's Constitution modifier is added to the roll, and if proficient in Constitution saves, their proficiency bonus is included as well. Death saving throws are a special case, where rolling a 10 or above is a success, and 9 or below is a failure. Understanding how to perform Constitution saving throws is crucial for players to navigate their characters through various challenges and threats they encounter during their adventures.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| What is a Constitution Saving Throw? | A saving throw is a d20 roll that’s made to resist something dangerous, such as a spell or magical effect, trap, poison, disease, or certain enemy attacks. |
| When to make a Constitution Saving Throw | You don’t normally decide to make a saving throw; you are forced to make one because your character or monster is at risk of harm. |
| How to make a Constitution Saving Throw | Roll a d20 and add the correct ability score modifier to the dice total. Your d20 is the 20-sided die you’ll use for all ability checks, saving throws, and attack rolls. |
| Constitution Saving Throw for spells | Many spells specify that a target can make a saving throw to avoid some or all of a spell's effects. The spell specifies the ability that the target uses for the save and what happens on a success or failure. |
| Constitution Saving Throw for death | To make a death saving throw, simply roll a d20 when it comes to your turn. Rolling a 10 or higher (to a maximum of 20) is a success for death saves. Rolling lower than a 10 (1 through 9) is a failure. |
| Constitution Saving Throw bonus | Characters have a proficiency bonus determined by level. Monsters also have this bonus, which is incorporated into their stat blocks. The bonus is used in the rules on ability checks, saving throws, and attack rolls. |
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What You'll Learn
Roll a d20
Rolling a d20 is a fundamental part of a saving throw in D&D 5e. A saving throw is an attempt to resist a harmful effect, such as a spell, trap, poison, or disease. The d20 roll is used to resist these dangerous elements.
When it comes to your turn, you roll a d20 and add your character's ability score modifier to the result. This is your saving throw. For example, if you have a 16 Con, you get a +3 bonus to your constitution saving throw. So, if you roll a d20 and get a 13, your constitution saving throw would be a 15 total (13 +2).
Death saving throws are simpler: roll a d20 and note the result. A roll of 10 or above is a success, while 9 or below is a failure. After three successful saves, your character stabilizes, but after three failures, they die.
Each class gives proficiency in at least two saving throws. For example, the wizard is proficient in Intelligence saves. Proficiency in a saving throw allows a character to add their proficiency bonus to saving throws made using a particular ability score.
The d20 is a 20-sided die used for all ability checks, saving throws, and attack rolls.
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Add ability modifier
In D&D 5e, a Constitution saving throw is made to resist harmful effects imposed on a character. To make a saving throw, roll a d20 and add the relevant ability modifier. The ability modifier is derived from one of the six ability scores. Each ability has a score, which defines the magnitude of that ability. This score ranges from 1 to 30, with 10 or 11 being the normal human average and 18 being the highest a person usually reaches. The ability modifier ranges from -5 (for a score of 1) to +10 (for a score of 30).
To determine an ability modifier, subtract 10 from the ability score and then divide the total by 2, rounding down. For example, if your character has a Constitution score of 14, their modifier is +2. So, if they need to make a Constitution saving throw and you roll a 13 on your d20, your total saving throw would be 15 (13 + 2).
If your character is proficient in the saving throw being made, you would also add their proficiency bonus to the roll. For example, if your character has a Constitution modifier of +2 and a proficiency bonus of +3, and you roll a 13 on your d20, your total saving throw would be 18 (13 + 2 + 3).
Death saving throws are simpler: simply roll a d20, with a roll of 10 or higher being a success and anything below being a failure. After three successful death saving throws, a character stabilizes, while three failures mean they die.
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Apply proficiency bonus
A saving throw, also called a save, is an attempt to resist a spell, trap, poison, disease, or any similar threat. You don't usually decide to make a saving throw; you are forced to make one because your character is at risk.
To make a saving throw, roll a d20 and add the appropriate ability modifier. For example, you use your Dexterity modifier for a Dexterity saving throw. 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 proficiency in at least two saving throws. The wizard, for example, is proficient in Intelligence saves. Proficiency in a saving throw allows a character to add their proficiency bonus to saving throws made using a particular ability score.
Your proficiency bonus is determined by your character's level. This bonus is added to ability checks, saving throws, and attack rolls. Your proficiency bonus can't be added to a single roll more than once. For example, if you have proficiency in Dexterity saving throws and someone throws a fireball at you, you would add your proficiency bonus to the saving throw. You also add your dexterity modifier.
The Difficulty Class (DC) for a saving throw is determined by the effect that causes it. For example, the DC for a saving throw allowed by a spell is determined by the caster's spellcasting ability and proficiency bonus. The defender uses their modifier to save against the spell. This goes for any stat. If it's a wisdom saving throw, you cast with Intelligence and save with wisdom.
To determine the result of a saving throw, you must roll a d20 and add your character's ability score modifier to the result. If the roll of the dice plus the appropriate modifiers meets or beats the DC, it is a success.
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DCs are based on spell's caster stats
Saving throws are used to resist harmful effects imposed on a character in Dungeons & Dragons (D&D). Successful saves prevent or reduce the effect, while failed saves do not. In the case of casting spells, there is a formula to work out the required DC (Difficulty Class).
DCs are based on the spell's caster stats. The formula for working out the DC is 8 + proficiency bonus + spellcasting ability modifier. For example, if a character has a proficiency bonus of +2 and a spellcasting ability modifier of +3, the DC for their spells would be 8 + 2 + 3, which equals 13.
To make a saving throw, the player rolls a d20 and adds their character's ability score modifier to the result. If the result meets or exceeds the DC of the spell, the saving throw is successful. If it is lower than the DC, the saving throw has failed.
Death saving throws are simpler: the player rolls a d20, and a roll of 10 or above is a success, while a 9 or below is a failure. After three successful death saving throws, the character stabilizes, but after three failures, they die.
It is important to note that saving throw bonuses can also come into play, which may alter the result of the saving throw.
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Death saves are different
Death saving throws are different from other saving throws in 5e. While a character makes a saving throw to resist or evade an effect, death saving throws are rolled when a character has 0 hit points to determine whether they survive or die.
In D&D, enemies may try to poison, sicken, trap, or cast a spell on a player character. The Dungeon Master (DM) will ask the player to make a saving throw, which is a type of d20 roll that relies on ability score modifiers. If the player succeeds in the saving throw, their character resists the effect. If they fail, their character is fully affected.
Saving throws are always made against a Difficulty Check (DC), and in the case of casting spells, there is a formula to work out the required DC. Many spells specify that a target can make a saving throw to avoid some or all of a spell's effects. The spell specifies the ability that the target uses for the save and what happens on a success or failure.
Death saving throws, on the other hand, are not tied to any ability scores. They are made when a character has 0 hit points and is at risk of dying. To make a death saving throw, the player simply rolls a d20 when it is their turn. A roll of 10 or higher (up to a maximum of 20) is a success, while a roll of 9 or lower (1 through 9) is a failure. After three successful saves, the character stabilizes, and after three failures, they die. However, death is not permanent in the game, and there are ways to resurrect a character using spells and abilities.
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Frequently asked questions
Roll a d20 and add your character’s Constitution modifier to the result. If you are proficient in Constitution saving throws, you can also add your proficiency bonus to the result.
A Constitution saving throw is used to resist harmful effects on your character, such as poison, disease, or other threats to your physical well-being.
After you roll the d20 and add any modifiers, tell the Dungeon Master (DM) what your result is. They will let you know if it is a success or failure.
