D&D 5E Can an unseen servant fly?

[Incenjucar]

None of these things can fly unless the rules give them a fly speed or other vertical movement. WotC designs for 2D by default and brings up more specific language when breaking from that.

 

[tomBitonti]

Does it have any weight? If it doesn't, how does it exert pressure? Is it pinned in space, in the sense of an immovable rod (but very weakly pinned: more than 20 lbs force should move it!) If weightless, is it nevertheless subject to gravity -- as if it had weight? Is its motion limited by rough or difficult terrain? If it were to walk across a swiftly moving river, would it be carried along by the river?

The caster can move it. Can it move itself whilst carrying out tasks? Is the 'what a human servant could do' text indicative of a conceptual limitation: Then, the spell conforms to and is limited by what are simple tasks according to the creature type of the caster?

I'm thinking that it is more of a bundle of force effects set at an arbitrary point in space, able to move itself according to the (simple) task which it has been given. Since it is a force effect, I can see it moving to arbitrary points in space. Then, it could change candles in a candelabra, or paint the ceiling.

TomB

 

[Incenjucar]

D&D magic does not conform to logic or physics, so extrapolation should be minimized.

 

[Vaalingrade]

D&D magic does not conform to logic or physics, so extrapolation should be minimized.

So when I move it on my action, I should not be restricted by the 2d plane, yes?

 

[James Gasik]

So when I move it on my action, I should not be restricted by the 2d plane, yes?

D&D does not conform to real world logic or physics. Fantasy world logic and physics still apply, whatever they happen to be at the moment!

 

[Incenjucar]

So when I move it on my action, I should not be restricted by the 2d plane, yes?

Based on the last VTT WotC made, there is no 3rd plane. :3

 

[Vaalingrade]

Can we agree with is weird behavior for a game based on structures carved into the depths of the world and a flying war crime?

 

[greg kaye]

Does it have any weight? If it doesn't, how does it exert pressure? ...

Who knows? All we know is that "The servant can perform simple tasks that a human servant could do, such as fetching things, cleaning, mending, folding clothes, lighting fires, serving food, and pouring wine", and, in addition to pouring wine, if it could also tread the grapes then, yes, it can exert pressure. Perhaps it has weight.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Who knows? All we know is that "The servant can perform simple tasks that a human servant could do, such as fetching things, cleaning, mending, folding clothes, lighting fires, serving food, and pouring wine", and, in addition to pouring wine, if it could also tread the grapes then, yes, it can exert pressure. Perhaps it has weight.

It's magic, it does not need to have any weight (mass) in order to exert a pressure. A human servant could tread grapes, ergo the unseen servant can.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

So when I move it on my action, I should not be restricted by the 2d plane, yes?

You don't move it, you command it to move. That's very different.