Simone Lawson
When playing Dungeons and Dragons (D&D), players will encounter scenarios where their characters must make saving throws to avoid harmful effects. These saving throws are based on six core abilities: strength, dexterity, constitution, intelligence, wisdom, and charisma. The choice between a wisdom save and a constitution save is an important one, as they are both major saves in the game. Wisdom saves are often used to resist effects that charm, frighten, or assault a character's willpower, requiring mental fortitude and perception of their surroundings. Constitution saves, on the other hand, are typically used to resist physical effects that impact a character's health, stamina, and vitality. Ultimately, the decision between a wisdom and a constitution save depends on the specific scenario and the nature of the effect being resisted.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Wisdom saves | More frequent |
| Constitution saves | Most valuable save for casters |
| Wisdom checks | Allow characters to perceive their surroundings |
| Intelligence checks | Allow characters to interpret their surroundings |
| Dexterity checks | Staying hidden, pulling off an acrobatic stunt, palming an object |
| Charisma saves | Withstanding effects, such as possession |
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What You'll Learn
- Wisdom saves are more frequent, but Constitution is valuable for casters
- Wisdom saves are for resisting charm and fright or assaults on willpower
- Constitution saves are for enduring physical pain or physical force
- Wisdom saves are for mental fortitude and perceiving surroundings
- Constitution saves are for resisting harmful effects and attack rolls
Wisdom saves are more frequent, but Constitution is valuable for casters
Wisdom and Constitution are both major saving throws in D&D, and both are important for different reasons. Wisdom saves are considered more frequent by some players, and they are used to resist effects that charm, frighten, or otherwise assault your willpower. They allow characters to perceive their surroundings, and a successful Wisdom save might mean that a character keeps their senses and resists their natural urges.
Constitution saves, on the other hand, are incredibly valuable for casters, especially if they plan to mix things up in melee. Constitution measures health, stamina, and vital force, and a character with a high Constitution score will have more hit points. While Wisdom saves may be more common, Constitution saves are crucial for maintaining concentration, which is essential for spellcasters.
Some players suggest that having a reliable source of immunity to being charmed and frightened can shift the importance back towards Constitution, even without considering concentration. However, this source of immunity must be reliable, or it shouldn't be considered a factor.
Ultimately, the choice between prioritizing Wisdom or Constitution saves depends on the specific character build and playstyle preferences. Both have their unique advantages and are essential for different situations, so players should consider their character's strengths and weaknesses when deciding which to focus on.
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Wisdom saves are for resisting charm and fright or assaults on willpower
Wisdom saves are an important part of D&D, allowing characters to resist charms, fright, and assaults on their willpower. These saves are made against effects, such as spells, items, monsters, or manoeuvres, rather than conditions. For example, a character with a high wisdom score may notice that a section of a wall is clean compared to the rest, but they may not interpret this as a sign of a secret door—that would require a high intelligence score.
Wisdom saves are also used to resist being charmed or frightened by enemies. This is a common effect in the game, and having a high wisdom score or proficiency in wisdom saves can help to avoid these conditions. In addition to resisting charms and fright, wisdom saves can also be used to resist other assaults on a character's willpower, such as mind control or domination effects.
The importance of wisdom saves is highlighted by their frequency in the game. Some players have noted that wisdom saves feel more common than constitution saves, especially when considering the impact of concentration on spellcasters. However, it's worth noting that having a reliable source of immunity to being charmed or frightened may shift the balance in favour of constitution saves.
While wisdom saves are crucial for resisting mental assaults, constitution saves are also important in D&D. Constitution measures a character's health, stamina, and vital force. Constitution saves are used to resist physical effects, such as poison or disease, and are particularly relevant for spellcasters who need to maintain their concentration on spells. Ultimately, both wisdom and constitution saves are major components of the game, and players should consider their character's strengths and weaknesses in these areas to make informed decisions during gameplay.
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Constitution saves are for enduring physical pain or physical force
Constitution saving throws are commonly used to determine whether a character can maintain concentration on a spell they're casting when they take damage. The character's Constitution level determines their success at checks (or throws) made against it.
In contrast, Wisdom saves are more about mental fortitude and resisting your natural urges. For example, a character might need to make a Wisdom saving throw to resist being charmed or frightened by an enemy.
Both Constitution and Wisdom saves are considered important, and which one is more crucial can depend on the specific circumstances and the character's class. For example, casters might prioritize Constitution saves to maintain their spells, while melee fighters might focus more on Wisdom saves to resist charm and fear effects. Ultimately, the decision to prioritize one over the other may depend on the specific character build and playstyle preferences.
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Wisdom saves are for mental fortitude and perceiving surroundings
Wisdom saves are an important aspect of D&D, reflecting a character's attunement to their surroundings and their mental fortitude. They are frequently used to resist charms and fright, requiring willpower and an understanding of oneself and one's place in existence. Wisdom saves are also about a character's intuition or instinct to overcome what magic is trying to tell them about their body or self.
A character with high Wisdom is aware of their surroundings but may not always interpret things correctly. For example, they might spot that one section of a wall is cleaner and less dusty than the rest, but they may not deduce that there is a secret door there. In contrast, a character with high Intelligence and low Wisdom might not notice the wall but could immediately understand why it is clean if asked about it.
Wisdom saves are also related to perceiving one's surroundings. A character with a high Wisdom score may be able to notice hidden creatures or objects, while a character with low Wisdom may not. This is reflected in the mechanics of the game, where a character's chance of being noticed while hiding is determined by comparing their Dexterity (Stealth) check with the creature's passive Wisdom (Perception) score.
In addition to the current edition's Constitution, Dexterity, and Intelligence saves, previous editions of D&D featured Fortitude, Reflex, and Will saves, which translated to Constitution, Dexterity, and Wisdom in the modern game. Will saves, in particular, were tied to Wisdom and represented a character's ability to control themselves and their willpower.
Overall, Wisdom saves are an essential aspect of D&D, reflecting a character's mental fortitude, perception of their surroundings, and ability to resist magical influences.
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Constitution saves are for resisting harmful effects and attack rolls
In the context of Dungeons and Dragons (D&D), a saving throw is a d20 roll that a character makes to resist something dangerous, such as a spell, magical effect, trap, poison, disease, certain enemy attacks, or environmental hazard. Constitution, or "Con", is one of the six core abilities in D&D that measure a character's health, stamina, and vital force. Constitution saving throws, or "Con saves", are made to resist harmful effects and are considered one of the most important types of saving throws in the game.
Constitution saving throws are used to resist physical pain, fatigue, or other physical effects. For example, a character might need to make a Con save when targeted by poisons, diseases, or other substances that threaten their physical well-being. They may also need to make a Con save when affected by a spell that targets their physical well-being, when undergoing physical stress or fatigue, or when enduring extreme weather conditions. Additionally, spellcasters often need to make Con saves to maintain concentration on a spell when injured, as failing to do so could cause them to lose a powerful spell.
The success of a Constitution saving throw is determined by the result of the d20 roll, the character's Constitution bonus, and any relevant proficiency bonuses. If the result of the roll plus any applicable bonuses equals or exceeds the effect's target number, or Difficulty Class (DC), the saving throw is successful. A successful Con save can result in completely avoiding negative effects, reducing the damage received, or both. For example, successfully saving against a spike trap could mean that a character takes no damage because they evaded the spikes.
Constitution saving throws are important for spellcasters, as they can help them maintain concentration on their spells when injured. Additionally, certain classes and subclasses in D&D gain bonuses to their Con saves, such as Artificers, Barbarians, Fighters, and Sorcerers. By comparison, Wisdom saves are more related to a character's mental fortitude and ability to resist their natural urges. While both are major saves, some players may find Wisdom saves more frequent, especially if they have a reliable source of immunity to charmed and frightened conditions.
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Frequently asked questions
Constitution measures health, stamina, and vital force, while Wisdom checks allow characters to perceive their surroundings and resist effects that charm, frighten, or otherwise assault their willpower.
Constitution saves are used to resist harmful effects from spells, monster abilities, or traps. For example, a Constitution save is required to resist the effects of the Monk's Stunning Strike.
Wisdom saves are used to resist effects that charm, frighten, or otherwise assault a character's willpower. For example, a Wisdom save can be used to resist being charmed or frightened by most enemies.
