Spell for reference:
The question is not about failing the saving throw. The question is what happens if you make the save. The spell says you are staggered for 1 round. However, since the spell lasts 3 rounds, on the next round, you have to save again, right? If you keep saving, the spell essentially has you in a "stagger lock" where the best outcome is you are staggered for 3 rounds.
Basically, the spell is a guaranteed 3 rounds of stagger, right?
The target can attempt to resist this spell’s effects with a Fortitude save-if he succeeds, he is merely staggered for 1 round as he gasps for breath. If the target fails, he immediately begins to suffocate. On the target’s next turn, he falls unconscious and is reduced to 0 hit points. One round later, the target drops to -1 hit points and is dying. One round after that, the target dies. Each round, the target can delay that round’s effects from occurring by making a successful Fortitude save, but the spell continues for 3 rounds, and each time a target fails his Fortitude save, he moves one step further along the track to suffocation. This spell only affects living creatures that must breathe. It is impossible to defeat the effects of this spell by simply holding one’s breath-if the victim fails the initial Saving Throw, the air in his lungs is extracted.
The description specifically states that if you make the first save you are only staggered for 1. If you fail the initial save you have to make another save each round or suffer the effect for that round. So, if you make the initial save you are staggered for 1 round and the spell ends. If you fail the initial save you have to make a save for the next 3 rounds. If you make that save nothing happens, and you have to make the save next round or suffer the effect of that round. If you fail the save you suffer the effect of that round, and next round have to make the save for the next rounds effect. This goes on for a total of 3 rounds at which point the spells is over.
So, no you are not staggered for 3 rounds if you make the save, in fact you are only staggered for 1 round even if you fail your save. If you fail the save the next round you are making a save to avoid failing unconscious and dropping to 0 HP. If you make that save nothing happens, but you may need to make a saving throw the next round.
you bolded the wrong part. here let me point you to it:
"The target can attempt to resist this spell’s effects with a Fortitude save-if he succeeds, he is merely staggered for 1 round as he gasps for breath. If the target fails, he immediately begins to suffocate. On the target’s next turn, he falls unconscious and is reduced to 0 hit points. One round later, the target drops to -1 hit points and is dying. One round after that, the target dies. Each round, the target can delay that round’s effects from occurring by making a successful Fortitude save, but the spell continues for 3 rounds, and each time a target fails his Fortitude save, he moves one step further along the track to suffocation. This spell only affects living creatures that must breathe. It is impossible to defeat the effects of this spell by simply holding one’s breath-if the victim fails the initial Saving Throw, the air in his lungs is extracted.
the spell is resisted if he succeed a save, not negated. if the first save would have ended the spell effect it should have mentioned something like "staggered for 1 round as he gasps for breath and the spell ends".
the save is to resist the spells effects. if the save would negate the whole spell it should have said: 1- negate, not resist. 2- spell effect not effects and 3- mention that the spell end if the first save is made.
Instead the spell add a 'but', and inform us that no matter what was before it LAST 3 ROUNDS, if this part only talked about those who failed the first save it should have said "each round after the first the target can delay..".
if the 1st save stop it before that it should have mention so, the fact it say he is staggered for 1 round and later add but the spell last 3 and any fail move him down the path of suffocation mean that each save is for that specific rounds effect only and the next turn if the spell's rounds are not over he must save again (if not dead yet). Heck adding extend spell metamagic to this spell will let it last 6 rounds with a save for each.
The spell states if the target fails his initial save, he begins to suffocate. So, on a successful save there is no suffocation. The rest of the text in the description is describing how suffocation works. The effects of each round are identical to the rules for suffocation. The only difference is that the spell allows a saving throw to delay the effect of suffocation each round.
The target can attempt to resist this spell’s effects with a Fortitude save-if he succeeds, he is merely staggered for 1 round as he gasps for breath. If the target fails, he immediately begins to suffocate. On the target’s next turn, he falls unconscious and is reduced to 0 hit points. One round later, the target drops to -1 hit points and is dying. One round after that, the target dies. Each round, the target can delay that round’s effects from occurring by making a successful Fortitude save, but the spell continues for 3 rounds, and each time a target fails his Fortitude save, he moves one step further along the track to suffocation. This spell only affects living creatures that must breathe. It is impossible to defeat the effects of this spell by simply holding one’s breath-if the victim fails the initial Saving Throw, the air in his lungs is extracted.
The sentence of delaying the effects of the spell also specifies that rounds effects from occurring. Those effect are round 1 falls unconscious and is reduced to 0 hit points, round 2 drops to -1 hit point and dying, round 3 target dies. There is no mention of staggered in those effects.
The only place in the description of the spell that mentions the staggered condition it specifies that it is for 1 round. If you strictly by the description of the spell you are not staggered if you fail the initial save.
3 Rounds of staggered while making the saves is overpowered for a 5th level spell. Then you add on the fact that if the fact that the second failure takes your character out of the combat and drops you to 0 HP, it is even worse.
I ran into this while DMing a Skull & Shackles campaign and adjudicated that making the initial save negated the need to make saves in subsequent rounds.
One reason for ruling this way is based on thinking about what would happen if a character failed the initial save, but made all the subsequent saves. If you take the other interpretation, they aren't even staggered for 1 round.
That also led me rule that the subsequent saves are made during the caster's turn, not on the target's turn as there is nothing in the text of the spell mentioning when the save should be made and it means the target will always suffer a consequence of failing the initial save.
Although thinking about it now, I guess the same outcome could be achieved by ruling the save occurs at the end of the target's turn.
I agree with the initial save negating the need for other saves. But I disagree with the saves being on the casters turn. The text actually does state that “On the target’s next turn, he falls unconscious and is reduced to 0 hit points”. If the saving throw is not on the targets turn and the target goes before the caster does the target fall unconscious without a chance to avoid it, or does he get his actions for that turn and then fall unconscious if he falls the saving throw? The same thing applies if the save is at the end of the targets turn.
The initial save occurs when the spell is cast. After that the save occur at the beginning of the targets turn to see if that the effect of that round occurs, or the target can act. Failing any save after the initial save means the character is out of the combat.
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My reading is:
1) If you make the initial save you are staggered for one round (as you gasp for breath) and the spell is over.
2) If you fail the initial save you are not staggered but all the air is extracted from your lungs and you have to start making saves on your turn. 3 rounds, with a save to delay that round's effect.
This seems the cleanest because that way mass suffocation tracks pretty well with overwhelming presence. Both are 9th level spells, affect multiple targets, and only stagger a creature that succeeds on the throw for one round while creatures that fail are in a world of hurt.
My understanding of the spell is:
1) If you succeed on the initial saving throw, you are staggered. That's it, not other effects happen.
2) If you fail, you are not staggered but all the air is extracted from your lungs and you begin to suffocate. On your next turn you are unconscious and at 0 hp. On your next turn, you can make a save, and if successful you remain at unconscious and 0 hp. If you fail, you move to -1 hp and dying condition. On the next turn you save again, if you succeed you stay at dying and -1 on a fail you are dead.
What happens when you fail is confusing because it says you can make a save to prevent the effects from happening, but if that worked on the first effect (unconscious and 0 hp) then it's not clear what should happen instead.
Though maybe the better interpretation is that if you fail the initial save but succeed on the save on your first turn after that you are staggered.
In any event, what happens on initial successful save is very clear to me, you're staggered for one round and that's it. Although that is often a death sentence since the enemy can't fight effectively, assuming the party wants to focus on them.