Ways to force a fail or Disadvantage on a saving throw

[jaappleton]

Hello playgrounders!

Just looking for a way to force an enemy to roll disadvantage on a saving throw.

Making a Mystic, and my favorite ability is Radiant Beam from Mastery of Light & Darkness.

So I'm curious as to any ways to force Disadvantage on a Dex save, although ways to force Disadvantage on other saves is always good knowledge to have!

I believe Stunned targets auto-fail all Strength and Dex saves.

Unconscious targets as well, along with Paralyzed and Petrified.

Restrained targets have Disadvantage on Dex saves.

Anything else?

It'd also help if you have anything you could argue might impose Disadvantage, even if it isn't RAW. Like "Given the circumstances..." type of stuff. Like would you impose Disadvantage on a Dex save VS something the target can't see?

[No brains]

Bestow Curse can inflict disadvantage on one saving throw, and if cast from a 5th level slot, it doesn't need concentration.

While it's not disadvantage, Bane subtracts 1d4 from all saving throws, so that's another potential tool that stacks with disadvantage.

[Pex]

Diviner Wizard Portent and have a low die roll to force an opponent to autofail.

[Flashy]

The Order of the Awakened gets the ability to end its focus to force disadvantage on a discipline saving throw once per short rest.

[Rezby]

The feat Lucky allows you to use a Luck Point (3/day) to make your target roll a 2nd d20, and you get to choose which of the two get chosen. So it'll be functionally like disadvantage, but technically different from (and stacking with) disadvantage.

Fun applications of Lucky: if you have disadvantage on a roll, use a LP to roll an additional die, then because of feat you get to pick which of the 3 d20 you want to count. aka turn disadvantage into super advantage (not official terminology). Also can turn an opponent's attack or save who has advantage into super disadvantage.

[Zalabim]

I believe squeezing into a tight space also gives disadvantage.

[Lombra]

A sorcerer's metamagic imposes disadvantage on the saves from a spell that you cast, I think it's heightened spell. But maybe that's not what you are looking for.

[SharkForce]

A sorcerer's metamagic imposes disadvantage on the saves from a spell that you cast, I think it's heightened spell. But maybe that's not what you are looking for.

only the first save from a spell you cast actually.

[Corran]

The feat Lucky allows you to use a Luck Point (3/day) to make your target roll a 2nd d20, and you get to choose which of the two get chosen. So it'll be functionally like disadvantage, but technically different from (and stacking with) disadvantage.
It doesn't work on enemies' saves, only on one attack directed at you.

Wild sorcerer also gets bend luck at level 6. Allows you to substract 1d4 from an enemy's save at the cost of sorcery points.

[joaber]

Shadow sorcerer 6 get a hound that give desadvantage for all your spells if he is at 5ft of target.

[Malifice]

Hello playgrounders!

Just looking for a way to force an enemy to roll disadvantage on a saving throw.

Making a Mystic, and my favorite ability is Radiant Beam from Mastery of Light & Darkness.

So I'm curious as to any ways to force Disadvantage on a Dex save, although ways to force Disadvantage on other saves is always good knowledge to have!

I believe Stunned targets auto-fail all Strength and Dex saves.

Unconscious targets as well, along with Paralyzed and Petrified.

Restrained targets have Disadvantage on Dex saves.

Anything else?

It'd also help if you have anything you could argue might impose Disadvantage, even if it isn't RAW. Like "Given the circumstances..." type of stuff. Like would you impose Disadvantage on a Dex save VS something the target can't see?

I was gonna say, get your resident Monk to punch your target in the face first. If you dont have one, Mystic/ Monk works wonders. Auto fail Dex saves.

Sorc Metamagic does it, but you'll need 3 levels in Sorc.

1 Level in cleric gets you the Bane spell (concentration required which inflicts a -1d4 penalty.

2 levels in Lore Wizard swaps Dex for something else (nice way to circumvent evasion). If not allowed as its UA, 2 levels in Diviner gets you Portent (roll 2d20, swap one for a D20 roll later on).

The Lucky feat lets you force an opponent to reroll 3/day.

[Specter]

No one's mentioned Eldritch Knight, but I will. Eldritch Strike gives foes disadvantage on their save if you attack them first.

[nickl_2000]

Instrument of the bards gives disadvantage against all charm spell cast using the instrument as a focus

[Tetrasodium]

Warlocks have some ways to nerf saves, but I'm not sure exactly how it nerfs them off the top of my head

[SharkForce]

No one's mentioned Eldritch Knight, but I will. Eldritch Strike gives foes disadvantage on their save if you attack them first.

arcane trickster has a similar ability when casting from stealth.