Is it impossible to escape the Rod of Lordly Might's paralysis effect early?

Question

On a hit, the Rod of Lordly Might can:

...force the target to make a DC 17 Strength saving throw. On a failure, the target is paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.

The paralyzed condition says:

The creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws.

This seems like a self-fulfilling feedback loop that turns the RoLM paralysis save into a save-or-die effect.

Besides outside intervention, is it possible to end the paralysis effect from the RoLM without waiting out the duration?

Answer 1

RAW, there's no way to escape

Not without a spell, class or racial feature, magic item, or other effect that allows you to bypass Paralysis. If the effect itself is resisted via STR/DEX, and paralysis causes STR/DEX saves to automatically fail, then the character would fail all their attempts to break the effect.

This feels like a situation where an explicit exception should be made.

Consider the text of Rod of Lordly Might, the section on its Paralysis effect:

Paralyze. When you hit a creature with a melee attack using the rod, you can force the target to make a DC 17 Strength saving throw. On a failure, the target is paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. This property can't be used again until the next dawn.

—DMG, pg 196

Emphasis mine.

The implication is that the item expects that this effect be resistable. Since there are very few ways for a creature to ignore paralysis (short of having the effect dispelled/removed), my gut instinct is that this should be a "Specific Beats General" situation... Except that none of the wording specifically allows that ruling.

So at my table, I'd allow STR/DEX saving throws exclusive to this effect to be performed as normal, without automatically failing, for the duration of the effect. I don't believe that would be a RAW ruling, though.

Answer 2

RAW, you're right. The target is trapped and makes saves which automatically fail.

However,

Rules as Intended, Specific beats general

If the Rod was intended to be a full-minute, no-save paralysis effect barring outside intervention, it would say so.

Instead, it states:

The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.

So, in this case, the rod will paralyze the target but will allow them to make saves to overcome its paralyzing forces. Keep in mind that other Strength or Dexterity saves are still automatically failed by the target, as per the Paralysis Condition.

I will add that yes, this does appear to look like developer oversight and is quite ugly, but a case like this still falls under the purview of the Specific Beats General rule, which is designed for cases like this. Most paralyzing save effects are usually caused by abilities other than Strength or Dex.

Answer 3

Yes, it is possible for the target to end the effect

with Legendary Resistance (or a similar feature).

The Rod of Lordly Might is indeed capable of paralysing a common creature for one minute upon its failed Strength saving throw. However, a feature which allows the target to turn a failed saving throw into a success without making another saving throw enables the creature to free itself from the paralysis, since the clause from the paralysis condition will not apply. An example of this is Legendary Resistance, a feature of many (high-CR) monsters, which typically reads:

If [the creature] fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Note that, in this case, choosing to succeed is in response to failing the saving throw (in this case from the paralysis condition), and so 'specific over general' applies here: (PHB, p. 7)

If a specific rule contradicts a general rule, the specific rule wins.

This is a unique and nuanced situation which, despite first appearances, does have an important functional distinction from an effect causing paralysis which lasts one minute and allows no additional saving throws.

Answer 4

Others have given RAW and RAI answers, based on rules of this item. I will instead turn to the instructions given to DM's in the Adventure's League DM manual, the closest thing (if there is such a thing) to "How a DM should adjudicate".

Always follow this golden rule when you DM for a group: Make decisions and adjudications that enhance the fun of the adventure when possible.

I would posit that being paralyzed for a full minute is not fun for a player, nor is having an easily incapacitated enemy, that has no opportunity to fight back, fun for the party. Therefore, the subsequent saving throws should not automatically fail.

For myself, what makes a game fun is narrative coherence: Things working with a logic that makes sense and can be predicted with absolute and perfect knowledge (noting that few non-DM players have absolute or perfect knowledge, and those that do generally only have it over a limited time and area e.g. from scouting or divination spells).

The issue presented is that the paralyzed condition prevents a character from making STR or DEX saving throws (or more accurately, causes the character to fail them). Narratively, this is because STR and DEX saving throws require action, which paralysis prevents. DEX saves are dodging or turning to evade or minimize getting hit. STR saves are bracing to ward off blows knocking one down or back, and flexing to break bonds and restraints. Since one cannot take these actions when one is paralyzed, one fails.

So, narratively, what is being done by the saving throw? I would say that it is resisting and recovering from the force of the blow of Rod of Lordly Might. Normally, I would say that this should be a CON save, as it is an internal shrugging off of effect, rather than an external action. I suppose that the designers wanted spread out the saves, since the rod already has a CON save, and to give more weight to STR, already a lower classed defensive attribute. Therefore, the STR save should not auto-fail.

Answer 5

Looks like you're right. I can't find any Errata or Dev remarks that would contradict this.

This does appear to be a closed loop that leaves you paralyzed for 1 minute with no chance of saving throw.

Answer 6

RAI, The saving throw is repeated so is not an automatic fail.

While there is weight to the fact that all Strength and Dexterity saves automatically fail, the wording of the item does say that the saving throw is repeated, not that a new saving throw is made (which would automatically fail).

...force the target to make a DC 17 Strength saving throw. On a failure, the target is paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success...

—DMG, ph 196

This may be a technicality, as there are several items in the DMG that call for a new saving throw each turn, and several items that call to repeat the saving throw. If someone has the time to list some of the items that have each then it may give an idea of whether this is deliberate or not.

Answer 7

RAW and RAI, there's no way to escape without outside help.

Since the effect itself is resisted via STR/DEX, and paralysis causes STR/DEX saves to automatically fail, then the character would fail all their attempts to break the effect.

Note that WotC has repeatedly issued errata to the DMG but never changed this effect of the Rod. They even errataed this exact item (for another unrelated aspect) in the latest DMG errata (2018).

By this time, it is exceedingly unlikely the team remains unawares of this condition. The only possible conclusion must be that they intend the Rod to work this way, or at least that the extra paralysis power isn't worth fixing. That is why my answer is saying "RAW and RAI..."