D&D General How has flying affected your games?

[Xeviat]

Thanks for all your input. I'm going to be allowing aarakocra in my game, but I've been thinking of busting out the 3E flight maneuverability rules. I'm not sure if albatross can fly in one spot like smaller songbirds can, for instance. I'm definitely enforcing size limits, needing to spread those wings, and a few other things.

Been watching a lot of Gargoyles. Thanks new streaming service!

 

[Coroc]

Thanks for all your input. I'm going to be allowing aarakocra in my game, but I've been thinking of busting out the 3E flight maneuverability rules. I'm not sure if albatross can fly in one spot like smaller songbirds can, for instance. I'm definitely enforcing size limits, needing to spread those wings, and a few other things.

Been watching a lot of Gargoyles. Thanks new streaming service!

Enforce encumbrance rules, so it is not handwaved to use the aarakocra PC as the parties one man helicopter/jetpack easily, especially if under fire.

 

[pogre]

No one has played an aarakocra in my game yet. Fly spells occasionally make an appearance. PCs fly a lot more in my epic game, but that is to be expected and is a non-factor given everything else that's usually happening.

Flight was a much bigger issue in 3.x with my group.

 

[dave2008]

I have never played in a plane or hot-air balloon, so I am not sure what affect flying would have in my game.

I have, however, played in a travelling minivan. I imagine it would be similar.

 

[Tony Vargas]

I have never played in a plane or hot-air balloon, so I am not sure what affect flying would have in my game...

It'd be tough DMing with a case of jet-lag, too, I suspect.

 

[Garthanos]

PitA.

Flyers take a lot of grittier heroic tropes, Indiana-Jonesing/Erol-Flynnery, and general parkour fun and toss it out the window. They also take less gritty fantasy tropes, like, oh, castles, and invalidate them w/o furious handwaving.

I once did an analysis of the potential tactical benefits of flight. I did so by showing what abilities you could give to a land bound hero that would be analogous to flight but inverted. It was a pretty extensive list of things that were required. One item included virtual invulnerability to ranged attacks beyond a certain range.

Even 4e pixies with their mildly ludicrous altitude 1 limit (are you a fairy, or a G.E.V.?) were annoying that way, at times.

Disney movie had fairies who bounced from thing to thing as they flew if you visualize faerie flight as being earth energy driven they get too far away and they stall. LOL.

Flight, Teleportation, Invisibility, and significant shape-shifting should all be pushed to significantly higher level, IMHO.

I want these to be on a well defined slider actually. With other things adjusted in sync.

 

[Tony Vargas]

I once did an analysis of the potential tactical benefits of flight. I did so by showing what abilities you could give to a land bound hero that would be analogous to flight but inverted. It was a pretty extensive list of things that were required. One item included virtual invulnerability to ranged attacks beyond a certain range.

"We're gonna need a lotta rope..."

That sounds interesting, actually, is that kicking around here somewhere?

I want these to be on a well defined slider actually. With other things adjusted in sync.

That sounds potentially complex, though not necessarily in a bad way... what were you thinking?

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Maybe I'd like flying more if i was playing D&D, but I've a feeling I'd be too anxious to focus.

I have never played in a plane or hot-air balloon, so I am not sure what affect flying would have in my game.

 

[Nebulous]

Enforce encumbrance rules, so it is not handwaved to use the aarakocra PC as the parties one man helicopter/jetpack easily, especially if under fire.

Yes, players will abuse this if you are not very careful. It's an unlimited fly spell, without the normal constraints of spell slots and duration.

 

[Garthanos]

Tony Vargas said:
Flight, Teleportation, Invisibility, and significant shape-shifting should all be pushed to significantly higher level, IMHO.

I want these to be on a well defined slider actually. With other things adjusted in sync.

That sounds potentially complex, though not necessarily in a bad way... what were you thinking?

To be honest not sure At ALL.
Something akin to having things level gated with modifiers depending on how common another ability is considered in game world. An ability like Melee Combatants - Missile Deflection has its level defined as N + flying mod. Where flying mod is derived from how low of level flying is commonly available .