Do you get a save vs Falling Damage?

Question

In AD&D1e, does a character get a Saving Throw vs. Falling Damage?

If so, which save applies? (By the book only, and give specific supporting citations please).

Does a save apply in D&D 3.5 or 4e?

Answer 1

3.5 allows a save of sorts if you fall past someone:

Catching a Falling Character While Climbing

If someone climbing above you or adjacent to you falls, you can attempt to catch the falling character if he or she is within your reach. Doing so requires a successful melee touch attack against the falling character (though he or she can voluntarily forego any Dexterity bonus to AC if desired). If you hit, you must immediately attempt a Climb check (DC = wall’s DC + 10). Success indicates that you catch the falling character, but his or her total weight, including equipment, cannot exceed your heavy load limit or you automatically fall. If you fail your Climb check by 4 or less, you fail to stop the character’s fall but don’t lose your grip on the wall. If you fail by 5 or more, you fail to stop the character’s fall and begin falling as well.

Catching Yourself When Falling

It’s practically impossible to catch yourself on a wall while falling. Make a Climb check (DC = wall’s DC + 20) to do so. It’s much easier to catch yourself on a slope (DC = slope’s DC + 10).

Answer 2

D&D4 answers only here.

There is no save vs. falling damage directly. However there are a couple helpful things to remember.

Training in Acrobatics ^DDI can reduce the falling damage you take:

If you fall from a height, you can make an Acrobatics check to reduce the amount of falling damage you take.

You do get a save when forced into a falling ^DDI situation (examples - pushed off a cliff, teleported into the air).

If a power or a bull rush forces you over a precipice or into a pit, you can immediately make a saving throw to avoid going over the edge.

Answer 3

I don't have a 1e DMG to look at, but going by 2e I'd suggest that if you're using massive damage rules (50+ in a single hit), that you'd get a save vs Death Ray to avoid dying from the fall. Table 29 also has a fall save of 6 for Bone, which you could use to determine half or full damage (although again it's going into discretion). If the save is failed you have something broken, which isn't explicitly discussed, if it succeeds you come away badly bruised instead.

Answer 4

AD&D1e PHB Page 105 Falling Damage

only says 1d6 for each 10' of distance fallen to a maximum of 20d6, plus or minus adjustments for the surface fallen upon.

AD&D1e DMG Page 80 Saving Throws

Yet because the player character is all-important, he or she must always-- or nearly always - have a chance, no matter how small, a chance of somehow escaping what otherwise would be inevitable destruction

AD&D1e DMG Page 172 Table 7 Trick/Traps

Pit, 10'deep, 3 in 6 to fall in.

As far as I can see there is no save. But as you get a 50% chance to fall into a pit trap may be they should get a 50% chance to grab something before they fall.

As the other posts have also said, there are no saves in DnD 3 or 4 and there was nothing in ODnD or Basic. This was left up to the Referee.

Answer 5

In 3.5, no, there is no saving throw. However, there are ways to prevent or reduce the damage, such as using tumble, a ring of featherfall, monk abilities, etc.