D&D 5E Grapple prone enemy and fly up

[Rabulias]

I would say they are no longer prone.

Consider the disadvantage on ranged attacks vs prone targets. If a creature is lifted into the air in a horizontal position, their exposed target area to creatures below them is roughly the same as if they were standing on the ground. Is Superman prone when he flies through the air? I think a flying humanoid in an upright position would actually present a smaller target profile to creatures below them. By the same token, a flying creature above a prone humanoid target should have no disadvantage on ranged attacks.

One could do 3D spatial positioning rules, but it gets very complex very quickly for very little benefit, IMO. Far easier to just say in this case the various pro and con factors cancel out.

 

[jgsugden]

Let's not go too far down the rabbit hole on what makes logical sense - the prone condition as it is only puts a toe on that carpet. The rule ramifications of the condition often make questionable sense at best.

The basic definition of prone you'll find in dicitionaries tends to have three elements: lying down, face down, and horizontal position. When you're pulled into the air, you generally break the first part of that description by no longer lying down on anything - although technicalyy, because we're usually talking lying down and not laying down you don't need to be on something to be lying. Regardless, due to the common English defintitions, a DM is well within their rights to make either call.

Under RAW: Nothing removes the Prone condition when the create with it is carried aloft. Technically, a creature with flying that is knocked prone and then lifted up in the air does not fall if let go. They only fall when they are 'knocked' prone - at the moment of proning. If they are prone and then start flying, there is no specified impact (so long as they still have moment or otherwise do not have something hampering their flight ability in the eyes of the DM. I believe many DMs would rule this the other way, but I think this is RAW.

 

[Fanaelialae]

Let's not go too far down the rabbit hole on what makes logical sense - the prone condition as it is only puts a toe on that carpet. The rule ramifications of the condition often make questionable sense at best.

The basic definition of prone you'll find in dicitionaries tends to have three elements: lying down, face down, and horizontal position. When you're pulled into the air, you generally break the first part of that description by no longer lying down on anything - although technicalyy, because we're usually talking lying down and not laying down you don't need to be on something to be lying. Regardless, due to the common English defintitions, a DM is well within their rights to make either call.

Under RAW: Nothing removes the Prone condition when the create with it is carried aloft. Technically, a creature with flying that is knocked prone and then lifted up in the air does not fall if let go. They only fall when they are 'knocked' prone - at the moment of proning. If they are prone and then start flying, there is no specified impact (so long as they still have moment or otherwise do not have something hampering their flight ability in the eyes of the DM. I believe many DMs would rule this the other way, but I think this is RAW.

You're not wrong, but it does create some strange potential loopholes in the rules if you allow prone creatures to fly. A character could drop prone before flying into the air, and then argue that they can't be knocked out of the air by being knocked prone because they are already prone and therefore cannot be knocked prone. I think most would agree that dropping prone before flying is a nonsensical SOP.

You could argue that a creature that is prone can still be "knocked" prone, but that would mean that effects that trigger on knocking a creature prone could be triggered against already prone targets, which seems potentially undesirable.

IMO, simply ruling that a creature can't fly while prone (unless they have the ability to float) is one of the cleanest solutions, which is why (as you said) many DMs would likely rule this way.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

What does a prone snake look like?

Belly-up.

 

[Cordwainer Fish]

Superman can fly and be prone at the same time, right?