D&D 5E Can an unseen servant fly?

[Professor Murder]

The living spell version of Unseen Servant from Dungeon of the Mad Mage does not have a flight speed, so I'd say no to flying.

 

[MarkB]

"The servant can perform simple tasks that a human servant could do"

I think that's interesting, because .... could a real servant say... clean a chandelier? Yes. They would fetch a ladder, or move a cart or crates etc etc...

So it might not "fly", but it may be able to reach heights, in a "reasonable" way

Within the limits of its capabilities. A standard 10-foot ladder is close to the limit of a Strength 2 character's carrying capacity. A step ladder of equivalent height it'd have to drag around.

 

[Stormonu]

Wonder if the OP may be conflating unseen servant with the ol' 1E/2E Aerial Servant.

 

[James Gasik]

Ah rules debates, where "it's a fantasy" is met with "but physics" and "but physics" is met with "it's a fantasy".

 

[aco175]

Aarakocra wizard thinks:

"Why would any caster bother with an unseen servant spell that can't do something so pedestrian as flying?"​

If an aarakocra created it, could it do tasks that an aarakocra servant could do? Something to think about.

I would tend to be more in favor of limiting it since it is just a 1st level spell. I would be ok with an improved version at 3rd level that could do several of the things mentioned in the thread. I could even see a summoned warrior that could attack, but that might be a 5th level spell.

 

[Stalker0]

A spiritual weapon is explicitly flying, though. It is floating and can move, which is...................flight. The unseen servant on the other hand has no ability to float and can only do things that normal human servants can, so no flight.

The levitate spell makes you float, and you are not flying

 

[Maxperson]

The levitate spell makes you float, and you are not flying

Correct. You also cannot move in any direction like the weapon can. Levitate limits you to straight up and down, which is not present in the Spiritual Weapon spell.

 

[greg kaye]

If an aarakocra created it, could it do tasks that an aarakocra servant could do? Something to think about. ...

At least as a spellbook based spell, I'd tend to think it would depend more on the initial formulation of the spell rather than the ability of the spell caster. Regardless, an aarakocra, with a max move of 10, might be unable to fly.

Gnomes and others cast unseen servant with it's current description. I doubt that Aarakocras have a special exception.

 

[Lanefan]

Sure, the unseen servant can climb a ladder. There is a big difference between not being able to fly and being nailed to the floor.

However, if it only has Strength 2 it's debatable whether the US could move a ladder to the right place..... [edit] .....as someone else already noted.

 

[Oofta]

Ah rules debates, where "it's a fantasy" is met with "but physics" and "but physics" is met with "it's a fantasy".

Not sure how that relates to, like, anything being discussed?