D&D 5E (2014) On fairies and flying

[BookTenTiger]

"I carry everyone over one by one" is a real possibility, assuming a decent strength score. Ten minutes work in game, and poof, you're done.

True, but that could also work for a Goliath character at 1st level.

 

[the Jester]

True, but that could also work for a Goliath character at 1st level.

What? Goliaths can't fly over the river in question.

 

[BookTenTiger]

What? Goliaths can't fly over the river in question.

Goliaths can carry other characters over or around many obstacles.

The point is there are a lot of character builds that can make obstacles trivial. You can spend your energy as a DM banning those builds, or adapt the obstacles to be challenging to everyone, or be okay with some obstacles being trivial.

Any solution is okay, but personally I wouldn't limit character options as a solution to my game.

 

[overgeeked]

PCs are the heroes of the story. They're supposed to do cool things that separate them from the crowds. Flight is one of those things for some PCs. Celebrate, don't hate.

I still prefer zero to hero. Not superhero to god. There are dedicated superhero games for that.

Use the flight to help the player, and PC, feel cool and special.

Is that what D&D is for now? To make the players feel cool and special?

 

[Stalker0]

Goliaths can carry other characters over or around many obstacles.

The point is there are a lot of character builds that can make obstacles trivial. You can spend your energy as a DM banning those builds, or adapt the obstacles to be challenging to everyone, or be okay with some obstacles being trivial.

Any solution is okay, but personally I wouldn't limit character options as a solution to my game.

The difference is the Goliath is still making checks, there is still risk. With flight there is none, you just do it.

here’s an example of flight negating an encounter:

fairy: I scout ahead
Dm; you found a pack of displacer beasts!
Fairy: I fire at them from height until they scatter, next.
Dm: you see a Trex!
Fairy: same thing, next.

this does not break the game but it certainly puts a lot of spotlight on the fairy, and requires the dm to change their encounters (and random encounters) to effectively challenge the party.

 

[Stalker0]

Is that what D&D is for now? To make the players feel cool and special?

Funny even though I am generally against flight this is literally my mantra as a dm

 

[BookTenTiger]

Is that what D&D is for now? To make the players feel cool and special?

...

Yes?

Why else would you fight monsters, explore dungeons, and haul back treasure?

It feels cool and special.

 

[overgeeked]

In my experience, flight breaks down into three tiers:

1. The party has no flight capacity at all.
2. The party is mostly ground-bound, but some portion of it can fly.
3. The entire party can fly.

Each tier dramatically expands the PCs' capabilities, which in turn closes off a bunch of options for the DM in adventure design. Going to tier 2 opens up room for aerial scouting, sending a flyer to tie a rope or retrieve an object, and "air support" in combat. Going to tier 3 allows the party to soar merrily over all manner of obstacles and threats, and demolish melee enemies at no risk to themselves.

BUT: The find familiar spell means tier 2 is already available from the start. It doesn't actually make much difference whether the flying thing is a PC. An owl or hawk familiar allows the party to reap most of the benefits of tier 2 right there. When you hit third level, warlocks get Pact of the Chain, beast master rangers can call flying companions, and so forth.

If it weren't so easy for a low-level party to push into tier 2 already, I would object strongly to "flight at level 1" races. However, that ship has sailed. Aarakocra and fairies are just another way to get to the same place as a wizard with an owl or a beast master with an eagle.

Except all the things a PC can do that a familiar cannot. Use of hands, thumbs, fingers, arms, self-direction, decision making, full range of action economy, class abilities, and weapon use. Familiars who fly are nowhere near on par with PCs who fly.

 

[Weiley31]

Then don't encounter them. "You fly over the angry goats" is a better use of player time than trivially hacking them to pieces.

Jokes on you, dem Goats started spitting out Fireballs just now!!!

 

[billd91]

The difference is the Goliath is still making checks, there is still risk. With flight there is none, you just do it.

here’s an example of flight negating an encounter:

fairy: I scout ahead
Dm; you found a pack of displacer beasts!
Fairy: I fire at them from height until they scatter, next.
Dm: you see a Trex!
Fairy: same thing, next.

this does not break the game but it certainly puts a lot of spotlight on the fairy, and requires the dm to change their encounters (and random encounters) to effectively challenge the party.

Flying characters, in these circumstances, have a tendency to provoke encounters that might not be provoked on the ground. Just ask Banshee in X-Men 114.