Saving Throw is a mechanic in Baldur's Gate 3. Saving throws are used to calculate the defense of a character against many effects or Spells in the game. Each of these has its own Difficulty Class (DC), which the character must make a saving throw of the die against in order to protect themselves.
Saving Throw in Baldur's Gate 3
A saving throw (also called a save) represents an attempt to resist a spell, a trap, a poison, a disease, or a similar threat. 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
Making a Saving Throw
To make a saving throw, roll a D20 and add the appropriate Ability Modifier for the character. Just like Ability Checks and Attack Rolls, you must hit the target number or higher in order to succeed.
A saving throw can be modified by a situational bonus or penalty and can be affected by Advantage and Disadvantage.
The result of a successful or failed saving throw. Usually, a successful save means that a character suffers no harm, or reduced harm, from an effect
Saving Throw Difficulty Class
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.
Saving Throw Proficiency
Each Class gives proficiency in two Saving Throws. The wizard, for example, is proficient in Intelligence and Wisdom saves. As with Skill proficiencies, Proficiency in a saving throw lets a character add his or her proficiency bonus to saving throws made using a particular ability score. Some monsters have saving throw proficiencies as well.
Saving Throw Proficiency By Class
- Barbarian: Strength and Constitution
- Bard: Dexterity and Charisma
- Cleric: Wisdom and Charisma
- Druid: Intelligence and Wisdom
- Fighter: Strength and Constitution
- Monk: Strength and Dexterity
- Paladin: Wisdom and Charisma
- Ranger: Strength and Dexterity
- Rogue: Dexterity and Intelligence
- Sorcerer: Constitution and Charisma
- Warlock: Wisdom and Charisma
- Wizard: Intelligence and Wisdom
Saving Throws and Spells
If you are making a spellcasting character, like a Wizard or Sorcerer you want to have the highest DC you can on your Spells because this will make it harder for Enemies to succeed a Saving Throw.
Such as is the case with Weapons, each Spellcasting class uses a different Ability that is used to calculate the Spellcasting Ability Modifier:
- Clerics, Druids, and Rangers use Wisdom
- Arcane Tricksters, Eldritch Knights, and Wizards, use Intelligence
- Bards, Sorcerers, Paladins, and Warlocks use Charisma
The DC to resist one of your spells is calculated is always 8 + Proficiency Bonus + Spellcasting Ability Modifier.
For example, if your Druid casts the spell Call Lightning around a bunch of Goblins. The Druid is Level 5, so he has a Proficiency Bonus of +3, and his Wisdom is 18, so he has a Spellcasting Ability Modifier of +4. This means the DC of this Spell is 15 (8+3+4). Any Goblin who doesn't roll at least roll a 15, will take 3d10 damage (The sum of three rolls of a d10 die), and any who does will take half that amount.
Modifiers
Saving Throws are affected by the Ability Score Modifier of the ability they're tied to. In addition to that, a creature can be Proficient in a type of Saving Throw, allowing it to add its Proficiency Bonus to the roll.
| Ability Score | Modifier Value |
|---|---|
| 1 | -5 |
| 2-3 | -4 |
| 4-5 | -3 |
| 6-7 | -2 |
| 8-9 | -1 |
| 10-11 | +0 |
| 12-13 | +1 |
| 14-15 | +2 |
| 16-17 | +3 |
| 18-19 | +4 |
| 20-21 | +5 |
| 22-23 | +6 |
| 24-25 | +7 |
| 26-27 | +8 |
| 28-29 | +9 |
| 30 | +10 |
Saving Throws can also be affected by Advantage or Disadvantage. For example, Elves have Advantage on Saving Throws against being Charmed. As another example, the Bleeding condition incurs Disadvantage on Constitution Saves.
Some spells can also affect a saving throw, such as Bane, Bless, and Resistance.
AnonymousAlong with other calculation logic, saving throws are completely and utterly broken in the latest version as of 13/09/23. For instance, when a party member is unbalanced, they should roll a saving throw when hit to check if they would fall prone. However, even if an enemy misses you, my party member has to roll a saving throw SIX (6) times, instead of the correct ZERO times. Other effects also trigger multiple times, seemingly at random. Game is a buggy mess & it ruins combat on Tactician difficulty.
- Anonymous
Spell save DC does whatever the hell it wants.I cast Black Tentacles on Karlach. The initial roll just says DC:12. Next turn, it says DC:8+3+4+1+2+1+1=20 (which is the correct amount)I cast Black Tentacles on NPCs. First roll in log is always DC:12, all other rolls in log say DC:8+3+4+1+2+1+1=12I also mentioned this with my Barbarian at one point. The game straight ignores your bonus to screw you over in certain scenarios. It's not a player error if you keep missing those 75% hits 4 times in a row. The game literally cheats.
- Anonymous
After doing some testing, I found that the Difficulty Class for the STR Save of abilities like Trip Attack is calculated by as so:
8 (Base DC) + 2 (Weapon Proficiency) + INTELLIGENCE modifier
I don't know if this is on purpose or something that Larian missed by when I tested it, I had a higher chance to knock someone prone with 8 STR and 16 INT, rather than the other way around.
- Anonymous
What are the most relevant saving throws to be proficient in, in the game?
Do you guys know if saving throws bonuses are capped. I have proficiency and ability bonus and item bonus +8 but if I add more items with extra bonus it still shows +8
0
+10
-1