Is a Death Save a Skill Check? Untangling D&D Mechanics

No, a death save is absolutely not a skill check. It’s vital to understand this distinction in Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) 5th Edition, as it affects how various abilities, spells, and features interact with this crucial mechanic. Death saving throws are a specific type of saving throw, and saving throws are distinct from ability checks (which encompass skill checks). Understanding these categories keeps your gameplay smooth and your rulings accurate.

The Core Concepts: Checks, Saves, and Death

To understand why death saves aren’t skill checks, we need to define each term carefully:

• Ability Check: An ability check is a d20 roll plus an ability modifier (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma) that you make when trying to do something that your character’s abilities might affect. If you are proficient in a skill, you can add the proficiency bonus to that ability check. This becomes what is known as a skill check.

• Saving Throw: A saving throw, or save, is a d20 roll plus an ability modifier that you make when you are trying to resist an effect. Spells, traps, poisons, and other dangers can force you to make a saving throw. The ability modifier used is determined by the effect itself.

• Death Saving Throw: A death saving throw is a specific type of saving throw you make when you are at 0 hit points and not stabilized. It is a straight d20 roll, with no ability modifier applied. A roll of 10 or higher is a success, and a roll of 1 is two failures. Rolling a 20 instantly stabilizes the character and restores them to 1 hit point. Three successes stabilize the character, while three failures result in death.

The Disconnect: Why Death Saves Don’t Use Skills

The critical point is that death saving throws do not involve any ability modifier. Skill checks are a subset of ability checks which use your proficiency bonus, which is determined by your level and class.

Since death saving throws are a straight d20 roll, they cannot be considered ability checks or skill checks.

The Implications of the Distinction

This distinction is crucial because certain abilities and spells affect ability checks or saving throws but not both. Here are some examples:

• Guidance (Cleric Cantrip): Adds 1d4 to an ability check. This affects skill checks because skill checks are a subset of ability checks. It does not affect death saving throws because death saving throws are not ability checks.

• Bless (Cleric Spell): Adds 1d4 to saving throws. This does affect death saving throws because death saving throws are a type of saving throw.

• Bard’s Jack of All Trades: The Bard class feature Jack of All Trades adds half your proficiency bonus to any ability check that doesn’t already include your proficiency bonus. Since death saving throws are not ability checks, Jack of All Trades does not apply.

• Cutting Words (Bard): The Bard college of Lore subclass feature Cutting Words allows a bard to use their reaction to subtract a die roll from an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw made by a creature within 60 feet. This affects death saving throws as they are a type of saving throw.

Focusing on Clarity for Gameplay

By keeping these definitions clear, you can avoid confusion during gameplay and ensure that abilities are used correctly. This leads to a more fair and balanced experience for everyone involved.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the difference between an ability check, a skill check, and a saving throw?

An ability check is a d20 roll plus an ability modifier to attempt an action. A skill check is a type of ability check that adds a proficiency bonus related to a specific skill. A saving throw is a d20 roll plus an ability modifier to resist a harmful effect.

2. Does the Lucky feat affect death saving throws?

Yes, the Lucky feat allows you to reroll any attack roll, ability check, or saving throw. Since a death saving throw is a saving throw, you can use the Lucky feat to reroll it.

3. Can I add my proficiency bonus to a death saving throw?

No, you cannot add your proficiency bonus to a death saving throw. Death saving throws are a straight d20 roll with no ability modifier or proficiency bonus added.

4. Does the bane spell affect death saving throws?

Yes, the bane spell subtracts 1d4 from a creature’s attack rolls and saving throws. Since a death saving throw is a type of saving throw, bane can affect it.

5. Can a Bard use Cutting Words on a death saving throw?

Yes, the Bard’s College of Lore feature, Cutting Words, allows them to subtract a die roll from an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw. Since death saving throws are a type of saving throw, Cutting Words can be used.

6. Does the Resilient feat help with death saving throws?

The Resilient feat grants you proficiency in saving throws using a ability score you are not already proficient in. Death saving throws do not use an ability score therefore, you cannot use the Resilient feat with death saving throws.

7. If I have advantage on saving throws, do I have advantage on death saving throws?

Yes, if you have advantage on saving throws from a source like the bless spell or a class feature, you roll two d20s and take the higher result for your death saving throw.

8. What happens if I roll a 1 on a death saving throw?

Rolling a 1 on a death saving throw counts as two failures instead of one. This brings you closer to death.

9. What happens if I roll a 20 on a death saving throw?

Rolling a 20 on a death saving throw instantly stabilizes you and restores you to 1 hit point. You are conscious and no longer making death saving throws.

10. Can I use inspiration on a death saving throw?

Yes, you can use inspiration to reroll a death saving throw, as inspiration can be used on any d20 test.

11. Does the resistance spell help with death saving throws?

The resistance spell grants a creature advantage on saving throws. Therefore, it would help with death saving throws as death saving throws are a type of saving throw.

12. Can a Paladin’s Aura of Protection affect death saving throws?

A Paladin’s Aura of Protection adds the Paladin’s Charisma modifier to the saving throws of nearby allies. This does affect death saving throws, because death saving throws are a type of saving throw.

13. If I am incapacitated, can I still make death saving throws?

Yes, even if you are incapacitated, you automatically make death saving throws at the start of each of your turns when you are at 0 hit points and not stabilized.

14. Are death saving throws considered “rolls” that trigger certain abilities?

Yes, because death saving throws are a type of saving throw and require a D20 roll, they are considered rolls and can be used in abilities.

15. Can I choose to fail a death saving throw?

No, death saving throws are involuntary. You cannot choose to fail them. You roll the d20 and accept the result.