Does the 5e D&D spell Faerie Fire provoke a Dexterity saving throw? Part of the description states:
Any creature in the area when the spell is cast is also outlined in
light if it fails a Dexterity saving throw.
It does not state that the creatures in the area of effect must make a save.
It is missing the usual conditional statement:
The target must succeed on a (X) saving throw or (Y)
In other words, does a creature in the area of effect of the Faerie Fire when it cast have to make a save?
To me this sounds as if a creature is outlined in light when it fails a dexterity saving throw while simultaneously finding itself in the area of effect of Faerie Fire while the spell is being cast. These are hard conditions to meet.
Best Answer
The spell is missing the usual wording. Make a saving throw when the spell is cast.
Very astute observation that the wording of faerie fire is unlike other area of effect spell such as web or create bonfire. The interpretation that faerie fire does not incur one so that a creature begins to be outlined in light if and only if it fails some dexterity saving throw from another source is an exceedingly literal one.
Common practice is for every creature in the area when it's cast to make a dexterity saving throw.
Warn players if you play with the very literal interpretation.
The common interpretation is that creatures in the area when faerie fire is cast make a dexterity save. Using a more strictly literal interpretation is like to be an unpleasant surprise to a player who has take the time to prepare the spell and used a slot to cast it.