the.com/save rule
the tabletop law that lets fate roll a die before disaster gets the final word.
means a game mechanic where a character rolls to resist or reduce an incoming effect, like poison, fear, or a fireball to the face.
from born in early tabletop wargaming and codified by dungeons & dragons in the 1970s, where 'saving throws' let doomed adventurers cheat death by dice instead of narrative fiat.
d&d rootsoriginally just five save categories, like poison and spells.
modern form5e collapsed saves into six ability scores.
beyond gamesnow slang for any last-chance rule that softens bad luck.