Time for an all-pixie campaign

[GMforPowergamers]

Its justifiable in terms of game balance. And anything can be justified with the "its magic" meme.

But it sure as heck isn't realistic otherwise. Please find a bird that stays within 10 feet of the ground all the time, especially when somebody below it is scaring it. Note that even if a pixie is Tiny in D&D terms it is still a reasonably large bird. A common raven, for example, is 2.5 lbs.

ok I may be an idiot...I may not be able to bavk this up with science, BUT I use to leave the window in my room open as a kid...with no screen, becuse it was a third floor bugs where very unlikly to fly that high. I was told becuse of there shapes and wings that most could not

 

[babinro]

My favorite 3.5 experience was with a Pixie Rogue/Swashbuckler. The combo was very much overpowered being able to fly around with perm invis and backstab everything in sight. But I eventually died from a single hit fireball since my hp was far worse than any wizard could have thought possible. Good times.

I can't wait to see how they work in 4th!

 

[pauljathome]

Please find a bird that is a humanoid with insect wings.

I think that you're basically invoking the "its magic" meme.

Which is ok.

But, other than that, it is NOT realistic that something that can actually fly (a very small humanoid with fairly large wings) would only be able to fly up to 10 ft.

Sorry, its a pet peeve. I have no problem if people want a very gamist system (although it really isn't to my tastes) but I object when people want a very gamist system AND want to close their eyes and pretend that its also realistic.

 

[pauljathome]

ok I may be an idiot...I may not be able to bavk this up with science, BUT I use to leave the window in my room open as a kid...with no screen, becuse it was a third floor bugs where very unlikly to fly that high. I was told becuse of there shapes and wings that most could not

Even if they're what D&D calls tiny, a pixie is WAY bigger than a bug.

I assure you, crows fly higher than 3rd floor windows all the time.

For real animals you're also very often dealing with "won't" much more than "can't".

 

[mneme]

Er. You don't need "It's magic". Certainly, altitude limit 0 is easy -- it has to land occasionally due to stamina (most actual D&D creatures with an altitude limit are clearly flying due to magic, of course), so opponents attacking when it's in its default state will find it close to the ground.

Also, pixies have bug wings, so modeling their flight on bug behavior makes an odd kind of sense.

Anyways, this is argument over my speculation on a restriction. Gets silly after a while.

 

[Incenjucar]

Sorry, its a pet peeve. I have no problem if people want a very gamist system (although it really isn't to my tastes) but I object when people want a very gamist system AND want to close their eyes and pretend that its also realistic.

I too worry about hovercrafts making it to the moon.

To make that clear: If your imagination cannot handle something, you are imagining the wrong thing the wrong way. Often, investigating reality will shed a remarkable amount of light.

 

[Pour]

Reading through the proposed checks-and-balances, and the differences of opinion, I'm starting to wonder how many if, dare I say, any limitations are really needed. I've dealt with Paragon PCs that can fly, and though they do have certain advantages, I'm not sure it was ever so imbalanced it ruined the game.

I can't think of quite so many encounter breakers as I originally assumed. I mean even in an open field with the sky being the limit, the rest of most parties are earthbound, and I'd call the encounter lost if everyone on the ground dies and the pixie is left. If he or she flies off in retreat, is that so bad? For the OP's group, maybe they're perfectly built for such encounters, and the DM will have to provide varied terrains, some indoors, some with strong winds, some with flying enemies, but some, yes, where flight gives the overriding edge too.

There is also an innate power range limit. The pixie will have to be at least 20 squares away from intended enemies, and there are monsters (albeit not nearly as many as range 10 attacks and melee) who could reach, never mind possessing flight themselves.

Yeah, I wouldn't be too discouraged with the notion unlimited flight provides its own many advantages, or how do you guys feel about some sort of super gamist 'There can only be 1 of said race in a party' for Tiny and Large creatures. Hehe, on second thought, I think that'd spur more rage than altitude limit.

 

[SpydersWebbing]

My thought on pixies?

All we need is a unicorn race and then, with a little bit of re-skinning, I CAN FINALLY RUN A "MY LITTLE PONY CAMPAIGN"!! W00T!! Hell, we can even re-skin Healing Potions to "Friendship Rainbow Drinks of Happiness". Healing powers could be the direct power of LOVE!


... I feel dirty now.

 

[Incenjucar]

My thought on pixies?

All we need is a unicorn race and then, with a little bit of re-skinning, I CAN FINALLY RUN A "MY LITTLE PONY CAMPAIGN"!! W00T!! Hell, we can even re-skin Healing Potions to "Friendship Rainbow Drinks of Happiness". Healing powers could be the direct power of LOVE!


... I feel dirty now.

Already plenty of Love in the game. Personally I play a deva invoker of love inspired by Ruby Rhod. Good times. <3

 

[pauljathome]

Often, investigating reality will shed a remarkable amount of light.

This I agree with.

For example, investigating the reality of how 2 lb creatures fly sheds light on the silliness of restricting how high they can fly.

Or even dragonflies (which pretty much has to be the best physical match for a pixie) fly well over 100 feet up.

This is all assuming that the pixie can actually fly for more than a few seconds at a time, of course.

But you're absolutely right that its a failing of my imagination to realize that absolutely ANY game rule is perfectly and totally realistic when looked at in the correct light.

Sorry for partially derailing this thread. I'll stop now.