Automatic Pass vs. Automatic Fail

[Cheesegear]

Paralysed creatures automatically fail Dexterity saving throws.
Careful Spell allows a creature to automatically pass a saving throw (e.g; Fireball; Dex save)

What do?

[Asisreo1]

Paralysed creatures automatically fail Dexterity saving throws.
Careful Spell allows a creature to automatically pass a saving throw (e.g; Fireball; Dex save)

What do?
Specific beats general. Generally, Paralyzed creatures automatically fail Dex saves.

In this specific scenario, they automatically succeed. Think about it like the caster themselves are warping the spell away from their allies.

[Tanarii]

Paralysed creatures automatically fail Dexterity saving throws.
Careful Spell allows a creature to automatically pass a saving throw (e.g; Fireball; Dex save)

What do?
The creature explodes.

[MoiMagnus]

I'm not sure if it is clear which of the two is the "specific" and which is the "general", so I don't think there is an absolute rule answer.

However, I'm pretty certain that automatic pass makes more sense here:
(1) Paralyse is an automatic failure because if you can't move, you can't dodge.
(2) Careful spell is an automatic success because you shape and position the spell in a way your allies don't even need to dodge.

If anything, it should be easier to avoid hitting someone paralyzed than someone moving around.

[Randomthom]

Paralysed creatures automatically fail Dexterity saving throws.
Careful Spell allows a creature to automatically pass a saving throw (e.g; Fireball; Dex save)

What do?

Someone mentioned that specific beats general but this is an excellent example of two contradictory specific rules.

As always, the important thing is that this game has a DM for a reason, to making rulings. This is neither a RAW nor an RAI discussion anymore, the rules tell us all we need to know, they just didn't cover this eventuality.

So, time to apply a ruling. If it were me, I'd agree with MoiMagnus that the Careful Spell is more a function of the spellcaster than of the paralysed creature so the spell shapes itself around them without hitting them.

If the paralyzed creature has Evasion, I'd deny them that however.

[Valmark]

Paralysed creatures automatically fail Dexterity saving throws.
Careful Spell allows a creature to automatically pass a saving throw (e.g; Fireball; Dex save)

What do?

The closest rule I can find is that the creature receiving multiple effects decides in which order they trigger- my guess would be that in this case the paralyzed person could decide wether they prefer Careful to take precedence or Paralysed.

[Jerrykhor]

Might be just me, but i feel that a class ability is more specific than a condition.

[Silly Name]

Just for completeness:


When you cast a spell that forces other creatures to make a saving throw, you can protect some of those creatures from the spell’s full force. To do so, you spend 1 sorcery point and choose a number of those creatures up to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one creature). A chosen creature automatically succeeds on its saving throw against the spell.

I'd rule that since it's the Sorcerer choosing to shield their allies from the worst effects of their spell (such as casting a Fireball in melee), the paralysed ally still "passes" their saving throw. It's a "more specific" effect being applied by the Sorcerer to a specific spell, rather than the "general" rule of paralysis (in the sense that paralysis means you fail Dexterity saving throws in general, while Careful spells gives you an automatic success on a specific spell).