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D&D 5E Casting Web on a flying creature
- Thread starter Grainger
- Start date
LordPwnington
First Post
The spell description on page 288 of the PHB says this: "You conjure a mass of thick, sticky webbing at a point of your choice within range. The webs fill a 20-foot cube from that point for the duration. The webs are difficult terrain and lightly obscure the area. If the webs aren't anchored between two solid masses (such as walls or trees) or layered across a floor, wall, or ceiling, the conjured web collapses on itself, and the spell ends at the start of your next turn."
That would imply to me that you have to use it on an area, and the creature has to go into that area. However, it also says this: "Each creature that starts its turn in the webs or that enters them during its turn must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is restrained as long as it remains in the webs or until it breaks free."
Based on that, I would personally be fine with the player wrapping it around the creature (as if they were layering it onto a surface), but I would probably require an attack roll in order to succeed, and then it would fall out of the sky, since restrained prevents them from moving.
That would imply to me that you have to use it on an area, and the creature has to go into that area. However, it also says this: "Each creature that starts its turn in the webs or that enters them during its turn must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is restrained as long as it remains in the webs or until it breaks free."
Based on that, I would personally be fine with the player wrapping it around the creature (as if they were layering it onto a surface), but I would probably require an attack roll in order to succeed, and then it would fall out of the sky, since restrained prevents them from moving.
It's magic. The simplest solution is that the web occurs where cast, it doesn't move, the creature is restrained if it fails its save, the next round, the web vanishes. The web does not fall.
Alternatively, the web does fall (DM dependent) and brings any restrained creature to the ground with it.
Alternatively, the web does fall (DM dependent) and brings any restrained creature to the ground with it.
Guess it is up to your DM but two solid masses could be wing to wing or wing to body.
BigVanVader
First Post
smiteworks
Explorer
I would house rule it to let my players use web on a single flying creature to disrupt flight for a single round. I would give the flying creature the save to avoid being entangled and if it is, the creature would drop as if falling. On the creature's turn, it could make a break free attempt to avoid falling at the expense of its action. The dragon would like succeed on the break free attempt due to its high strength. If the flying creature is high enough, it could resume flight after breaking free and use its remaining move to fly up higher again. Giving essentially two saves with the chance to either cancel an action or cause falling damage doesn't seem overpowered at first glance. It could be an effective reaction to set for when the dragon or other flying creature comes in for a strafing run.
The one piece missing is that I don't see any explanation for how fast a creature falls. Assuming the same gravity as we have on Earth, that should be a little North of 550 feet. The range of Web is only 60 feet, however, so a wizard on the ground could at most cause 6d6 falling damage if they webbed a creature right at 60', it failed it's dexterity save and then failed its break free attempt on its turn. If the wizard *and* the target creature were both flying 500' up in the air, then it would be much cooler, but would still max out falling damage at 20d6 after the creature fails both saves.
The one piece missing is that I don't see any explanation for how fast a creature falls. Assuming the same gravity as we have on Earth, that should be a little North of 550 feet. The range of Web is only 60 feet, however, so a wizard on the ground could at most cause 6d6 falling damage if they webbed a creature right at 60', it failed it's dexterity save and then failed its break free attempt on its turn. If the wizard *and* the target creature were both flying 500' up in the air, then it would be much cooler, but would still max out falling damage at 20d6 after the creature fails both saves.
UngeheuerLich
Legend
Seems like a perfectly reasonable ruling: grounding a flying creature, dealing 6d6 damage, dexterity save for no effect sounds great.
If you catch the dragon while both are flying, I would rule that the flying creature has a chance to make its strength check mid air, at the 100 feet fallen mark. I would rule that a flying creature does not fall 600ft, because air resistance should generally be rather high for creatures made for flying. They should fall rather slowly after accellerating a bit.
If you catch the dragon while both are flying, I would rule that the flying creature has a chance to make its strength check mid air, at the 100 feet fallen mark. I would rule that a flying creature does not fall 600ft, because air resistance should generally be rather high for creatures made for flying. They should fall rather slowly after accellerating a bit.
Sacrosanct
Legend
I'm of the philosophy to not make things more complicated than they should be, and to make rules based on what makes sense from a logical standpoint, regardless of any mechanical or metagaming impact.
So in this case, I see the web spell being able to be cast in the air. The target gets it's DEX save to avoid it, like dodging flak. if it fails, it becomes entangled and falls, taking damage according to the rules. It's only a 60ft range, so you'd only have a max 6d6 damage, and that's if the creature was at a 90 degree angle right above you. Most likely, you've cast the spell at an angle, so the creature would only be 30-40ft in the air. That's what makes the most logical sense to me. And just so happens, doesn't make the spell OP from a mechanical sense either. 3-4d6dmg and restrained for 1 round if fail DEX save? That's not OP compared to other level 2 spells.
So in this case, I see the web spell being able to be cast in the air. The target gets it's DEX save to avoid it, like dodging flak. if it fails, it becomes entangled and falls, taking damage according to the rules. It's only a 60ft range, so you'd only have a max 6d6 damage, and that's if the creature was at a 90 degree angle right above you. Most likely, you've cast the spell at an angle, so the creature would only be 30-40ft in the air. That's what makes the most logical sense to me. And just so happens, doesn't make the spell OP from a mechanical sense either. 3-4d6dmg and restrained for 1 round if fail DEX save? That's not OP compared to other level 2 spells.
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