Build A Magical Flying Machine

Jeph · Dec 2, 2003

So, I'm about to start playing a Diviner/Alienist with a bit of an elemental (air) fixation, and think it would be cool to eventually have him build a flying machine. Not a flying fortress, mind, but more like a personal yacht that just happens to go through air rather than water. For this, I've given him Craft Wondrous Item, and am wondering what would be the cheapest way to build a reliable flying machine. So far, my thoughts:

The Hot-Air Balloon
The least magical. This would simply be a standard zeppelin, with a constant-heat dwoemer to keep the bag permanently inflated and a few extradimensional or weight-altering charms to allow for increased capacity.

It's Just Magic
A boat with some form a Fly spell cast into it. Least obvious, and more sturdy than the zeppelin, but more vulnerable to antimagic. Also, researching and permanentizing a 1st level heat spell would cost less than permanentizing the 3rd-level Fly.

Cloud Chariot
This would be some form of vehicle with a Levitate charm on it, and then a few Air elementals or similar harnessed to it for propulsion. Possibly not even requiring a feat to create, but simply a few Planar Binding spells and maybe a Levitate and Permanancy.

Thoughts?

andargor · Dec 2, 2003

Jeph said:
So, I'm about to start playing a Diviner/Alienist with a bit of an elemental (air) fixation, and think it would be cool to eventually have him build a flying machine. Not a flying fortress, mind, but more like a personal yacht that just happens to go through air rather than water. For this, I've given him Craft Wondrous Item, and am wondering what would be the cheapest way to build a reliable flying machine. So far, my thoughts:

The Hot-Air Balloon
The least magical. This would simply be a standard zeppelin, with a constant-heat dwoemer to keep the bag permanently inflated and a few extradimensional or weight-altering charms to allow for increased capacity.

It's Just Magic
A boat with some form a Fly spell cast into it. Least obvious, and more sturdy than the zeppelin, but more vulnerable to antimagic. Also, researching and permanentizing a 1st level heat spell would cost less than permanentizing the 3rd-level Fly.

Cloud Chariot
This would be some form of vehicle with a Levitate charm on it, and then a few Air elementals or similar harnessed to it for propulsion. Possibly not even requiring a feat to create, but simply a few Planar Binding spells and maybe a Levitate and Permanancy.

Thoughts?

I believe the Stronghold Builder's Guide could help you. Just build a couple of rooms out of wood, and apply the "flying" modifier. Depending on the size, it could fly at a fair clip. If I remember, there is also a mod for it to glide just above the ground.

You could figure out the price, as well.

Andargor

DanMcS · Dec 2, 2003

Surfing the Winds
Dweomer a suitable disk of some kind with Tenser's Floating Disk (liberally interpretted) and stand on it. Having a high Balance skill recommended but not required.

No, Really, I'm a Flying Squirrel
Careful combination of Jump, Featherfall, and large gliding wings strapped to your arms.

mikebr99 · Dec 2, 2003

I am pretty sure that frcs or mof had magical flying machines in their wonderous items sections.

YMMV

Mike

AuraSeer · Dec 2, 2003

The Arms & Equipment Guide has a section on vehicles, including flying ones. There are also vehicular magic items, like a set of sails that allows any ship to take flight.

Dakkareth · Dec 2, 2003

Don't forget the alienist part ... just some spooky voices don't count, make it M A D

How about a huge pseudonatural manta ray gliding over a carpet of green smoke issued from its gillies or something like that?

Not related to the alienist, but still cool would be the sailing boat in the air, which would need a crew of sailors to operate. Imagine the coolness of riding a stiff brise through the clouds and firing broadsides into the neighbourhood dragon. Not to forget the pirate-potential, arrr! Adding a planeshift(air) power later would be a must, too ...

About the technical side ... I'd make it several discrete items to be put on the ship like a spelljammer helm to a ship. Take a sailing boat and add a basic air-sailing item. Later, when you have the gold and xp again upgrade speed and improve maneuvrability and so on. Should you crash you ship at one point (you know, you will) you simply salvage the magical parts and put them on another ship - voila, instant flight vehicle

Jeph · Dec 2, 2003

Thanks for the suggestions all. However, I don't have many supplements--just 3.0e, the splats, planes, psionics, and Oriental Adventures (and then like 2 or 3 issues of Dragon)--and I don't mean to buy more. So, I'd appreciate it if suggestions are kept to the core rules.

BTW, I found something in Dragon #294, the one with vehicles rules: the Cloud Keel. It makes any ship fly...for 200,000 gold!

Are flying enhancements in other supplements similarly expensive?

Spatzimaus · Dec 3, 2003

A lot of the vehicle info from the A&EG was posted on the WotC website as a preview, at:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20030302a
Feel free to swipe it. I sure did.

And yes, it's 200,000gp for a Cloud Keel. Flying ships are not supposed to come cheap; when you can carry dozens of people, their luggage, a few weapons, etc. it's worth the price. Of course, if you're the DM you could always invent a smaller version that goes for maybe 50k but only can carry a couple people...

Just remember: 2000gp * 3 (spell level for Fly) * 5 = 30k should be the absolute cheapest a perma-flying item would go for in 3E, and that assumes it's only propelling one person.

andargor · Dec 3, 2003

Jeph said:
Thanks for the suggestions all. However, I don't have many supplements--just 3.0e, the splats, planes, psionics, and Oriental Adventures (and then like 2 or 3 issues of Dragon)--and I don't mean to buy more. So, I'd appreciate it if suggestions are kept to the core rules.

BTW, I found something in Dragon #294, the one with vehicles rules: the Cloud Keel. It makes any ship fly...for 200,000 gold! Are flying enhancements in other supplements similarly expensive?

The Stronghold Builder's Guide defines a stronghold space (ss) as being an abstract volume of space, typically 20'x20'x10' (4,000 cu. ft.)

So, for example, a completely small empty vessel made out of living wood that can fly (maybe kind of ship-like, think Spelljammer):

Component (Barracks - 1ss) 400 gp/ss (incidentally, the barracks examples are 40x20x10, go figure)
Wall Material (Living Wood, self-repairs 1hp/round) +2,000 gp/ss
Locomotion (Very Fast, 96 miles/day) +17,500 gp/ss
Mobility (Flying) +15,000 gp/ss

This ship would cost ~35,000 gp, but would have no interior partitions to speak of, be somewhat cramped for more than 4-6 people for extended periods (assuming you're putting gear in there, and maybe a privy), but could fly

Andargor

AuraSeer · Dec 3, 2003

Jeph said:
BTW, I found something in Dragon #294, the one with vehicles rules: the Cloud Keel. It makes any ship fly...for 200,000 gold! Are flying enhancements in other supplements similarly expensive?

Yup, making a ship fly is damn expensive. Consider that a single flying warship could carry a large force of mercenaries, plus heavy armament of its own, and protect it all with an armored hull. You could take out most of an army with just one of them.

If you want something cheaper, buy a standard flying carpet from the DMG. You can even make it look like a boat, if you have enough ranks in Craft (Origami).