Adventurers have to deal with traps, fire-breathing monsters, and other strange and deadly threats. If you’re attacked by something like that, you may get to make a saving throw (or save) to resist, avoid, or reduce the effect of what attacked you. There are three kinds of saving throws.

FORTITUDE SAVE

Also called a Fort save, you make this save to resist physical punishment like poison, disease, or a monster special attack that turns you to stone.

REFLEX SAVE

Also called a Ref save, you make this save to resist explosions, falling into pits, and some kinds of traps.

WILL SAVE

You make this save to resist fear, mind control, and many spells.

Here’s how you make a saving throw:

Saving Throw: Roll 1d20 + class save bonus + Ability Mod + other mods

Your base save bonus is from your class. For example, a 1st level cleric has a +2 class bonus on Fort and Will saves. The ability score modifier for your save depends on what kind of save you’re making. You add your CON Mod to your Fort save, your DEX Mod to your Ref save, and your WIS Mod to your Will save. “Other mods” are any racial traits, class features, or magic that gives you a bonus on the save, like a dwarf’s bonus against poison and spells, or the +4 bonus against fear attacks from a remove fear cleric spell.

SAVING THROW DIFFICULTY CLASS

Every special attack has a difficulty class (or DC) that tells you how hard it is to resist it. If you roll that number or higher for your saving throw, you succeed at the save and resist, avoid, or reduce the effect of the attack. The DC of the special attack is listed in the attack’s description. DCs from powerful monsters are usually higher than DCs from weaker monsters.