[RPG] Can you be aged by failing the repeat saving throw for Frightening Visage

agingdnd-5esaving-throw

My players came across a ghost last session. On its turn, the ghost used its Horrifying Visage ability. Horrifying Visage states:

Each non-undead creature within 60 feet of the ghost that can see it must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. If the save fails by 5 or more, the target also ages 1d4 × 10 years. A frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the frightened condition on itself on a success.

One PC failed the saving throw by 5 or more (his save was 7 after all modifiers) and so was aged 10 years (I rolled a 1 on the d4).

The party mopped up the ghost pretty quickly thereafter, and everybody who failed the first save made the second. After the game, one of the other players commented that aged character was lucky to have made his second save, since he would've been aged again had he failed it so badly a second time.

Is this actually the case? If a character fails a repeat saving throw against Horrifying Visage by 5 or more, will they be aged just as if they had failed the initial saving throw by 5 or more?

Best Answer

Yes, the ghost can continue to drain your life

Let's start with the spell mechanics (MM, 147):

The initial save is very clear in direction in that the target(s) must succeed a DC13 Wis save or be frightened for 1 minute. The next sentence is our key (emphasis mine):

If the save fails by 5 or more, the target also ages 1d4 X 10 years. A frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns...

The text does not state "If the first save fails" but simply "If the save fails". If you fail the first time, you repeat the save and are therefore under the same rules and risk for aging.

There are many spells/abilities that state "The first time", but Horrifying Visage is not one of them and therefore the risk of failures by 5 or more for aging remain.

And it's a cool effect!

Most importantly is the narrative behind the effect. You have encountered a horrifying creature and if you are completely enthralled by it from failures by 5 or more, the creature is still horrifying. Remaining under it's power after failing again by more than 5 forces you to keep aging because that's a reasonable and cool effect. Think of all the movies where a ghost ages someone to death; that's what is happening here.

Simply put, ghosts are horrifyingly scary

For those so inclined, Jeremy Crawford also agrees.

Horrifying Visage ages you every time you fail a save against it by 5 or more.

However, you do not HAVE to try and save again

The language clearly states (emphasis mine):

A frightened creature can repeat the saving throw

They do not have to repeat the saving throw and can instead simply remain Frightened and not risk further aging.

However - beware of metagaming! If your character wouldn't know to not try and shake off their fear, then they probably should still try.