Acid Splash 3.5e FAQ
Does Acid Splash allow a saving throw in D&D 3.5e?
No. Acid Splash does not allow a saving throw in D&D 3.5e. The caster instead makes a ranged touch attack against the target's touch Armor Class. A successful attack deals 1d3 acid damage and a missed attack deals no damage; there is no Fortitude, Reflex, or Will save for half damage or to negate the spell. Other defenses, such as touch AC, cover, concealment, and resistance or immunity to acid, can still matter.
Acid Splash uses an attack roll instead of a saving throw. That makes it mechanically different from many damaging spells that automatically affect an area or target and then ask for a Reflex, Fortitude, or Will save. For Acid Splash, the first question is whether the caster can land the ranged touch attack. Saving throw bonuses do not help with that roll, but this does not make the spell unavoidable: the target can still benefit from defenses that apply to the attack itself and from defenses that reduce or prevent acid damage after a hit.
Acid Splash has no saving throw
The D&D 3.5e spell entry for Acid 
D&D Portal - Acid Damage type Acid is a damage type used by attacks,
spells, class features, resistance, immunity, and vulnerability. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/damage-types/acid/ Splash lists its saving throw 
D&D Portal - Saving Throw D20 test rule Saving Throw is a d20 test rule used to resolve
uncertain outcomes during play. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/d20-tests/saving-throw/ as None. The target therefore does not make a Fortitude, Reflex, or Will saving throw D&D Portal - Saving Throw D20 test rule Saving Throw is a d20 test rule used to resolve
uncertain outcomes during play. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/d20-tests/saving-throw/ when the spell is cast at it.
This is different from spells that automatically reach their target and then give that target a chance to resist or reduce the effect with a saving throw D&D Portal - Saving Throw D20 test rule Saving Throw is a d20 test rule used to resolve
uncertain outcomes during play. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/d20-tests/saving-throw/. Acid D&D Portal - Acid Damage type Acid is a damage type used by attacks,
spells, class features, resistance, immunity, and vulnerability. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/damage-types/acid/ Splash determines its initial success with an attack roll instead.
A creature with excellent Fortitude, Reflex, and Will saves gains no direct benefit from those bonuses against Acid D&D Portal - Acid Damage type Acid is a damage type used by attacks,
spells, class features, resistance, immunity, and vulnerability. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/damage-types/acid/ Splash because the spell never asks for any of those rolls.
The attack roll determines whether Acid Splash hits
Instead of allowing a saving throw D&D Portal - Saving Throw D20 test rule Saving Throw is a d20 test rule used to resolve
uncertain outcomes during play. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/d20-tests/saving-throw/, Acid D&D Portal - Acid Damage type Acid is a damage type used by attacks,
spells, class features, resistance, immunity, and vulnerability. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/damage-types/acid/ Splash requires the caster to make a ranged touch attack. The attack result is compared with the target’s touch armor class 
D&D Portal - Armor Class Combat rule Armor Class is a combat rule used by attacks,
damage, defenses, or turn order. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/combat/armor-class/ rather than its normal armor class D&D Portal - Armor Class Combat rule Armor Class is a combat rule used by attacks,
damage, defenses, or turn order. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/combat/armor-class/.
If that attack hits, the spell deals 1d3 
D&D Portal - Dice Roller Roll your dice Roll standard or custom dice with adjustable count, faces, advantage, and disadvantage. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/dice-roller/ Acid D&D Portal - Acid Damage type Acid is a damage type used by attacks,
spells, class features, resistance, immunity, and vulnerability. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/damage-types/acid/. If the attack misses, the spell deals no damage. There is no automatic partial effect simply because the caster successfully completed the spell.
This also means that abilities and conditions that affect attack rolls or touch armor class D&D Portal - Armor Class Combat rule Armor Class is a combat rule used by attacks,
damage, defenses, or turn order. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/combat/armor-class/ can matter more to Acid D&D Portal - Acid Damage type Acid is a damage type used by attacks,
spells, class features, resistance, immunity, and vulnerability. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/damage-types/acid/ Splash than bonuses to saving throw D&D Portal - Saving Throw D20 test rule Saving Throw is a d20 test rule used to resolve
uncertain outcomes during play. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/d20-tests/saving-throw/. The defensive question is “can the spell hit me?” rather than “can I save against it?”
There is no half-damage result
Acid D&D Portal - Acid Damage type Acid is a damage type used by attacks,
spells, class features, resistance, immunity, and vulnerability. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/damage-types/acid/ Splash does not have a successful-save result such as half damage because there is no saving throw D&D Portal - Saving Throw D20 test rule Saving Throw is a d20 test rule used to resolve
uncertain outcomes during play. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/d20-tests/saving-throw/ in the first place. The spell’s normal resolution is much more binary.
On a successful ranged touch attack, the target takes the spell’s 1d3 D&D Portal - Dice Roller Roll your dice Roll standard or custom dice with adjustable count, faces, advantage, and disadvantage. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/dice-roller/ Acid D&D Portal - Acid Damage type Acid is a damage type used by attacks,
spells, class features, resistance, immunity, and vulnerability. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/damage-types/acid/. On a miss, the target takes none of that damage. Nothing in the base spell creates a middle result between those two outcomes.
External effects can still modify the final damage after a hit, such as Acid D&D Portal - Acid Damage type Acid is a damage type used by attacks,
spells, class features, resistance, immunity, and vulnerability. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/damage-types/acid/ resistance or immunity, but those are separate rules. They do not turn Acid D&D Portal - Acid Damage type Acid is a damage type used by attacks,
spells, class features, resistance, immunity, and vulnerability. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/damage-types/acid/ Splash into a saving-throw spell or create a half-damage save.
Saving throw bonuses do not directly help against Acid Splash
Because Acid D&D Portal - Acid Damage type Acid is a damage type used by attacks,
spells, class features, resistance, immunity, and vulnerability. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/damage-types/acid/ Splash does not call for a saving throw D&D Portal - Saving Throw D20 test rule Saving Throw is a d20 test rule used to resolve
uncertain outcomes during play. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/d20-tests/saving-throw/, a creature's Fortitude, Reflex, and Will bonuses do not directly improve its chance to avoid the spell. A high Reflex save, for example, does not make the ranged touch attack harder to hit.
The creature’s touch armor class D&D Portal - Armor Class Combat rule Armor Class is a combat rule used by attacks,
damage, defenses, or turn order. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/combat/armor-class/ is the relevant defensive number for the attack roll. Dexterity, size, deflection, dodge, cover, concealment, and other applicable attack defenses can still influence whether Acid D&D Portal - Acid Damage type Acid is a damage type used by attacks,
spells, class features, resistance, immunity, and vulnerability. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/damage-types/acid/ Splash connects.
After a hit, resistance or immunity to Acid D&D Portal - Acid Damage type Acid is a damage type used by attacks,
spells, class features, resistance, immunity, and vulnerability. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/damage-types/acid/ can still reduce or prevent the damage. The absence of a saving throw D&D Portal - Saving Throw D20 test rule Saving Throw is a d20 test rule used to resolve
uncertain outcomes during play. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/d20-tests/saving-throw/ therefore removes one defensive mechanism, not every possible defense against the spell.
Does Evasion work against Acid Splash?
No. Evasion is designed for effects that allow a Reflex saving throw D&D Portal - Saving Throw D20 test rule Saving Throw is a d20 test rule used to resolve
uncertain outcomes during play. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/d20-tests/saving-throw/ for half damage. When a creature with Evasion succeeds on a qualifying Reflex save, the ability can reduce that damage to zero.
Acid D&D Portal - Acid Damage type Acid is a damage type used by attacks,
spells, class features, resistance, immunity, and vulnerability. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/damage-types/acid/ Splash does not provide a Reflex saving throw D&D Portal - Saving Throw D20 test rule Saving Throw is a d20 test rule used to resolve
uncertain outcomes during play. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/d20-tests/saving-throw/ at all. It is resolved with a ranged touch attack, so there is no qualifying Reflex save for Evasion to improve and no save-based half-damage result for the ability to replace.
Improved Evasion does not change this interaction. Improved Evasion still modifies the result of Reflex saving throw D&D Portal - Saving Throw D20 test rule Saving Throw is a d20 test rule used to resolve
uncertain outcomes during play. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/d20-tests/saving-throw/, while Acid D&D Portal - Acid Damage type Acid is a damage type used by attacks,
spells, class features, resistance, immunity, and vulnerability. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/damage-types/acid/ Splash never calls for one. A creature must instead rely on defenses that affect the touch attack or the Acid D&D Portal - Acid Damage type Acid is a damage type used by attacks,
spells, class features, resistance, immunity, and vulnerability. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/damage-types/acid/ itself.
Saving throws, touch AC, and resistance are separate defenses
It helps to separate the different defensive layers involved. A saving throw D&D Portal - Saving Throw D20 test rule Saving Throw is a d20 test rule used to resolve
uncertain outcomes during play. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/d20-tests/saving-throw/ is a roll made by the target when a spell or effect allows one, while armor class D&D Portal - Armor Class Combat rule Armor Class is a combat rule used by attacks,
damage, defenses, or turn order. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/combat/armor-class/ is the armor class D&D Portal - Armor Class Combat rule Armor Class is a combat rule used by attacks,
damage, defenses, or turn order. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/combat/armor-class/ used when an attacker makes a touch attack.
Acid D&D Portal - Acid Damage type Acid is a damage type used by attacks,
spells, class features, resistance, immunity, and vulnerability. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/damage-types/acid/ Splash uses armor class D&D Portal - Armor Class Combat rule Armor Class is a combat rule used by attacks,
damage, defenses, or turn order. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/combat/armor-class/ and does not use a saving throw D&D Portal - Saving Throw D20 test rule Saving Throw is a d20 test rule used to resolve
uncertain outcomes during play. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/d20-tests/saving-throw/. In D&D 3.5e it also lists Spell Resistance: No, so spell resistance does not introduce an additional caster level check after the touch attack.
Energy resistance is different again. A creature with Acid D&D Portal - Acid Damage type Acid is a damage type used by attacks,
spells, class features, resistance, immunity, and vulnerability. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/damage-types/acid/ resistance can still reduce the Acid D&D Portal - Acid Damage type Acid is a damage type used by attacks,
spells, class features, resistance, immunity, and vulnerability. Full link: https://dnd-portal.com/rules/damage-types/acid/ after the spell hits. Understanding those mechanics separately prevents several common rules mix-ups around this cantrip.