Difficulty Class
Difficulty Class (or DC) is a number that must be matched or exceeded to achieve success when rolling for Ability Checks or Saving Throws.
When attempting to beat - called a Saving Throw - a Difficulty Class, the die rolled is a D20. The modifiers applied to this roll vary, depending on the circumstances and the type of check.
The Difficulty Class (DC) is determined by the source of danger.
Danger DC[edit | edit source]
In scenarios such as traps, the game chooses an appropriate Difficulty Class, depending on how serious the danger is. This includes single-use items such as elemental arrows or throwables.
Weapon Action DC[edit | edit source]
The Difficulty Class for Saving Throws against Weapon Actions is calculated similarly to Spellcasting DC - except for four differences: firstly, the Spellcasting Ability Modifier is replaced with the Ability Modifier of either Strength or Dexterity, whichever is higher; secondly, proficiency bonus isn't added; thirdly, the base DC is 10 instead of 8; and finally, each Weapon Action can grant its own inherent bonus DC that isn't listed anywhere, but most frequently it's +2. To express all this mathematically:
Certain Weapon Action instead uses Hybrid DC, which allows a user to either use their Spellcasting DC or Weapon Action DC with a +2 bonus, whichever is higher.
Spell DC[edit | edit source]
For the Difficulty Class of a Spell that imposes a Saving Throw, the DC is determined by the creature's Spellcasting Ability Modifier, using the following formula: