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5 Replies
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8
XP
41
Honor
They can be confusing so don’t worry! it also took me a while to wrap my
head around how each works and especially when they come into play.Here’s a breakdown to hopefully help you out:
Armor Class (AC): is a measurement of how difficult it is to land a successful blow on a target with an attack.
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Attack Roll: When making an attack, the attacker rolls a d20 and adds any relevant modifiers to the roll. These modifiers typically include their ability modifier (Strength or Dexterity) and their proficiency bonus if they are proficient with the weapon they are using.
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Comparing to AC: The total of the attack roll is compared to the target’s AC. If the total equals or exceeds the target’s AC, the attack hits and the attacker rolls for damage.
Example: Suppose we have an Archer named Arwyn, a level 5 Ranger with a Dexterity of 18 (+4 modifier), proficient with a longbow, and has chosen the Archery Fighting Style (+2 bonus to ranged attack rolls).
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Arwyn’s Attack Bonus: +4 (Dexterity) +3 (Proficiency at level 5) +2 (Archery Fighting Style) = +9.
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Arwyn shoots an arrow at a goblin with an AC of 15. She rolls a d20 and gets a 10.
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Total Attack Roll: 10 (roll) + 9 (attack bonus) = 19.
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Since 19 is greater than the goblin’s AC of 15, the attack hits.
Saving Throws: are reactive rolls to resist or mitigate harmful effects such as spells, poisons, or traps.
Rolling a Saving Throw: When an effect calls for a Saving Throw, the affected character rolls a d20 and adds any relevant ability modifier and proficiency bonus (if they are proficient in that type of saving throw).
Comparing to DC: The total is compared to a specified Difficulty Class (DC). If the total equals or exceeds the DC, the character successfully saves against the effect.
Example: A wizard casts Fireball, specifying a Dexterity Saving Throw DC of 14 to avoid half damage.
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A warrior with a Dexterity of 12 (+1 modifier) and no proficiency in Dexterity saving throws rolls a d20 and gets an 8.
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Total Saving Throw: 8 (roll) + 1 (Dexterity modifier) = 9.
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Since 9 is less than the DC of 14, the warrior fails the saving throw and takes full damage.
Difficulty Class (DC): is a target number set by the Dungeon Master or determined by the rules, representing the challenge of a task or the potency of an effect.
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Making a Check: Characters roll a d20, add any relevant modifiers (such as skill or ability modifiers), and compare the total to the DC.
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Outcome: If the total equals or exceeds the DC, the character succeeds in the task or resists the effect.
Example: A rogue tries to pick a lock with a DC of 15.
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The rogue has a total modifier of +7 in Thieves’ Tools (Dexterity modifier + proficiency bonus + expertise).
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The rogue rolls a d20 and gets a 7.
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Total Check: 7 (roll) + 7 (modifier) = 14.
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Since 14 is less than the DC of 15, the rogue fails to pick the lock.
Summary:
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AC is used to determine if attacks hit.
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Saving Throws are used to resist or mitigate certain harmful effects.
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DC is a target number for checks made to overcome challenges or resist effects.
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8
XP
41
Honor
Sorry the way I worded it is a bit misleading. Let me clarify it better:
The Difficulty Class (DC) of a saving throw for a spell is not arbitrarily specified by the wizard casting it, but rather is calculated based on the wizard’s spellcasting ability and proficiency, as well as any other relevant modifiers.
Therefore, I should have rather said: “The spell’s DC is determined by the wizard’s spellcasting attributes”.
In D&D 5e, the DC for a wizard’s spell is calculated using the following formula:
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Spell Save DC = 8 +Proficiency Bonus +Spellcasting Ability Modifier
Broken down as follows:
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Base DC: The base DC is 8.
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Proficiency Bonus: As a character levels up, their proficiency bonus increases. This bonus is added to the base DC.
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Spellcasting Ability Modifier: Wizards use their Intelligence as their spellcasting ability, so they add their Intelligence modifier to the base DC.
Example:
Let’s say we have a Level 5 Wizard with an Intelligence of 16, which provides a +3 modifier.
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At Level 5, the proficiency bonus is +3.
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Therefore, the Spell Save DC for this wizard would be
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8 +3(Proficiency Bonus) +3(Intelligence Modifier) = 14
When this wizard casts Fireball, the DC for the Dexterity Saving Throw that target enemies must make to avoid or mitigate the spell’s effects is 14.
This DC is not specified by the wizard at the time of casting, but is rather predetermined by the wizard’s spellcasting attributes.
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8
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41
Honor
The wizard doesn’t need to verbally announce the Spell Save DC to anyone in-game. However, the player controlling the wizard would share this information with the DM, if asked or if it’s relevant to the situation.
Here’s how it a typically attack sequence usually works:
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Character Sheet: The Spell Save DC is usually pre-calculated and noted on the wizard’s character sheet.
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Casting a Spell: When the wizard casts a spell like Fireball, which requires targets to make a saving throw, the player announces the casting to the DM.
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DM’s Role: The DM then asks the affected targets (controlled by other players or by the DM if they are non-player characters) to roll dexterity saving throws, and they need to meet or exceed the Spell Save DC to succeed on the saving throw.
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Sharing DC: If the DM or other players don’t know the wizard’s Spell Save DC, the player controlling the wizard would share that information. It keeps the game flowing smoothly and ensures everyone is on the same page regarding the challenges presented.
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Result: The DM adjudicates the result of the saving throws against the Spell Save DC, describing the effects on the targets and continuing the narrative of the battle.
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