D&D 5E How did you handle the Aarakocra?

[Psyga315]

I heard people doing different things with this race due to its ability to fly early on from banning it to nerfing it.

A cool thing I heard is to cripple the Aarakocra so hard, they need Greater Restoration. By the time a player's able to cast it, most classes will have unlocked the ability to fly and thus they close the gap that the Aarakocra created.

 

[iserith]

I have no issue with the aarakocra or with PCs lower than 5th level flying. As DM, I have infinite resources to challenge the PCs, even ones that fly.

 

[ExploderWizard]

I haven't. The aarakocra does not like to be touched by anyone other than MRS. aarakocra.

 

[rollingForInit]

I have no issue with the aarakocra or with PCs lower than 5th level flying. As DM, I have infinite resources to challenge the PCs, even ones that fly.

Same here.

Someone wants to play a valid race that can fly? Then I'll make sure we all have some fun with it.

 

[TailleferTheWise]

I allowed it, and even had my player creating it add in it's Dive Attack feature from the MM. I mean, who would think a bird-like creature couldn't swoop down and attack? I've decided though, that doing so would take a lot of energy, so have tied the amount of uses of this feature he gets per day to his proficiency bonus. He'll also provoke an attack of opportunity if he attacks while swooping PAST his target.

 

[Bacon Bits]

Nobody in my group has even asked about it. The roleplayers know that the race hates being on the ground and is basically afraid of going underground, which is where our campaigns inevitably end up. Being claustrophobic and hating to go underground seems like a bad idea. The min/maxers are unlikely to choose anything other than Human for quite awhile.

The only modification I'd make as a DM is to give nearly every enemy group some ranged weapons. About the only limitation I'd make is that non-magical armor would need to be built to accommodate wings, and maybe proscribing magical boots but probably not.

Cursing them until they get access to a 5th level spell is just lame. It eliminates the point of the race. It's banning them without banning them. It's like saying, "You can play a variant human, but you don't get the feat until level 9 and get a day of downtime and 100gp to train."

 

[Jeff Albertson]

I'm fine with it, just depends on the setting.

 

[TailleferTheWise]

The roleplayers know that the race hates being on the ground and is basically afraid of going underground, which is where our campaigns inevitably end up. Being claustrophobic and hating to go underground seems like a bad idea.

My player chose to be a monk. I figure that since most eastern martial practices teach discipline of the mind as well as the body, claustrophobia would be something he's worked to conquer in his mind. That being said, I do plan on having him make CON save when entering enclosed spaces (and occasionally thereafter while remaining inside), and if he fails, making him role at disadvantage on everything. I might even impose the short-term madness rules if he fails his CON save too many times in a row.

 

[Sacrosanct]

I have no probs with it. If I did, I would probably say something like, "You're a flying bird race, right? Do you know what birds have? Hollow bones. They have to, in order to be lightweight enough to fly. So that means you are vulnerable to bludgeoning attacks."

 

[Zaran]

I don't get the fear of PCs that fly. If the PC is Melee then they have to get within reach of those on the ground. If they are ranged then they usually hide behind their companions anyway and probably are targeted MORE often flying around then they would be hanging behind the fighter. To say that a flying PC is immune to melee only monsters is ignoring the fact that any ranged character standing out of the monsters reach is immune as well. So what if there will be times when a Flying PC is king of a battle? It's definitely not the case in every battle and there will be times when a flying PC will be more vulnerable than others.