[3.5]Optimizing Fly Speed

[Eldrys]

So, I'm making a Dark Raptoran and I want him to go as fast as possible.

Currently, I can move 125 ft per move action.

So far, in addition to the Dark template(+10 feet), I have the dash feet(+5 ft), 9 levels of Stormtalon(+40 feet), and the Air Heritage feet(+30 ft).

So people of the playground, are there any obscure feats or prestige classes I don't know about that would help out?

[Zaq]

Are spells and items on the table, or do you only want permanent things?

[Eldrys]

Spells and items would be good, but I was hoping I could get as high a permanent fly speed as possible.

[Stallion]

The Quick trait. Another +10 to movement speeds.

Go dragonborn, see if you can keep the wings. Take the Improved Speed feat.

[Eldrys]

The Quick trait. Another +10 to movement speeds.

Go dragonborn, see if you can keep the wings. Take the Improved Speed feat.

I've checked out both of those. Quick applies to base land speed and Dragonborn doesn't give you the Dragon type(which is a prerequisite for Improved Speed)

[Re'ozul]

Looking through feats now:

Dash:
While wearing light or no armor and moving under only light load your speed increases by 5'

Improved Speed:
Prerequisites: Str 13, Dragon type
Fly speed increases by 20', all others by 10'

Quick trait:
+10' (land speed or flight if no land speed exists), -1 hp per level (minimum 0)

Speed of thought: Psionic Focus, Wis 13
As long as you psionically focussed and not wearing heavy armor you gain a 10' insight bonus to your speed.

Sprinter: Dex 15, Con 15, Run
3 times per day you may increase your speed by 10' for a number of rounds equal to your constitution modifier.

[Eldrys]

I forgot about Speed of Thought, thanks! Also, what book is Sprinter from? It would definitely work considering I can fly for the that same amount of time as it allows.

[Re'ozul]

Ah, Sprinter is from Dragon Magazine (#313).
So that might be a problem as books are considered.

[Aspenor]

Optimized caster level + Phantom Steed. What speed is that at caster level 37,000+? Really freakin' fast. :smallbiggrin:

Sorry, I doubt that really helped. I'm not too familiar with the topic, but I do know that's how to fly as fast as possible.

[Doc Roc]

My preference for optimized flight is generally built around the Feathered Wing Grafts. Depending on your read of the language, they may allow you to apply haste twice, for example, so they're pretty pimp-tacular. Suggest scissoring your wings off and adding these, or getting them as a second pair.

[Ernir]

What class levels do you have other than those Stormtalon levels?

How many feats and shiny gold pieces do you have to work with?

Optimized caster level + Phantom Steed. What speed is that at caster level 37,000+? Really freakin' fast. :smallbiggrin:

240'.

Yeah, it's capped. =/

[Aspenor]

What class levels do you have other than those Stormtalon levels?

How many feats and shiny gold pieces do you have to work with?


240'.

Yeah, it's capped. =/

Liberal interpretations of Reserves of Strength are involved. I never promised you wouldn't get hit with a DMG. :smallbiggrin:

[Doc Roc]

Liberal interpretations of Reserves of Strength are involved. I never promised you wouldn't get hit with a DMG. :smallbiggrin:

I knew I should just have buried that feat when I found it.

[Eldrys]

What class levels do you have other than those Stormtalon levels?

How many feats and shiny gold pieces do you have to work with?


I have nothing concrete. I was thinking Monk levels(just because their fast speed doesn't have clause specifying what type of movement like Scout and Barbarians do), but... the Monk kinda sucks.

My DM has a few houserules, so I get a feat every other level, and I have 260,000 gp to spend

[Alleran]

There's a spell in Dragon Magazine called "Fly Like An Arrow" (#308, maybe?). When cast, you can travel at 10x your flight speed as long as you only fly in a straight line, and have a one-round build before exploding into your full flight. If you put it on an item (I know you'd prefer permanent boosts and that this is also more useful for travel purposes than combat, but if you can talk your GM into a use-activated or continuous item of this spell it might be useful), you could get some decent speed up.

I always like to think of the "one round" as being like Superman gathering himself before breaking out the superspeed, myself, complete with the sonic boom. :smallcool:

[Claudius Maximus]

I agree about Feathered Wings being nice. There are several effects (mostly 3.0) that double land speed, including a helmet in A&EG and a spear in Ghostwalk. I think there might be some kind of graft out there too? Anyway, get some land speed boosters, plop those items on, and your wings will make you very fast indeed. Then you apply the flight speed increases.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

The spell Footsteps of the Divine in Complete Champion gives +50 ft. to your 'base speed' without specifying that it's limited to any one mode of movement. It's a component of some extremely cheesy builds, such as Persisting it then expending the remaining duration to get +miles to your move speed.

[Doc Roc]

The spell Footsteps of the Divine in Complete Champion gives +50 ft. to your 'base speed' without specifying that it's limited to any one mode of movement. It's a component of some extremely cheesy builds, such as Persisting it then expending the remaining duration to get +miles to your move speed.

This was nix'd by an errata, sadly. I'll miss Chuck.

[calar]

My first thought is boots of haste, not sure if haste affects fly speed though.

[Stallion]

My first thought is boots of haste, not sure if haste affects fly speed though.

They do, but that isn't permanent.

[Lord.Sorasen]

Quick trait:
+10' (land speed or flight if no land speed exists), -1 hp per level (minimum 0)

Chop off your legs ;]

Also druidic avenger gets monk speed if you want monk speed. No wildshape is a sad thing but you want to fly anyway, and I think there are druid spells which could help with flying. Hard to imagine there not being.

[Bakkan]

Aerial Alacrity from Races of the Wild (p 174) is a Personal range Sky domain and Sorcerer/Wizard spell that increases your fly speed by 30 ft (untyped) as well as giving some other bonuses for 1 minute/level. The most efficient ways to obtain this would be 7 levels of cleric (for DMM: Persist) or an item of continuous Aerial Alacrity costing (by DMG guidelines) 112,000 gp.

[Tyndmyr]

Are spells and items on the table, or do you only want permanent things?

The 3.0 Fly is 90 feet, if you can pull that out with cheese and such. Heart of Air(CompMage) is +10, I do believe. Also duration 24 hr, so not an issue. Dragon Magic has a booster to magical fly speed of +30 feet.

So, even with straight 3.5, you should be able to stack those, Ariel Alacrity, and Haste for a total of 160. There's got to be more available, but the above is all pretty doable with any wizard/sorc without any investment other than spells.

Any way of getting additional actions will also increase effective speed. Enjoy belt of battle shenanigans.

[Scottdj23]

There are several ways to get natural flight: the Winged Template (Savage Species), Half-Celestial/Fiend, Raptorian (Races of the Wild)., ect.
For all other characters you can take the feats: Dragontouched (Dragon Magic), Dragon Wings (Races of the Dragon), and Improved Dragon Wings (RotD) at 6th level.
If you have a cool DM could make a custom prestige class based off of Stormtalon (Races of the Wild) for other races. Maybe with a prerequisite of dragontouched.
If you roll a 15 dex and take the Winged Creature template you will have perfect maneuverability.
If you have a character with wings i suggest this for feats:
Dragontouched (required for Improved Speed), Improved Speed (Draconomicon)(+20 fly/10 land), Improved Flight (Races of the Wild), Natural Heavyweight (Planar Handbook)(it doubles your carrying capacity), Air Heritage (PH)(+30 fly), , Reinforced Wings (Races of the Dragon)(fly in medium load/armor), Heavyweight Wings (RotD)(fly in heavy load/armor), Endurance (Player's Handbook)(fly longer), Dash (Complete Warrior)(+5 speed), Wild Talent (Expanded Psionics Handbook)(required for Speed of Thought), Speed of Thought (EPH)(+10 speed), Flyby Attack (Monstrous Manual), Hover (MM), Travel Devotion (Complete Champion), Wing Expert (RotD).

[LooseCannoneer]

Footsteps of the Divine. DMM persist it + extend for a move speed bonus of 287,990.

[WhamBamSam]

Being or transforming into a Mercury Dragon (Dragons of Faerun) will get you a high fly speed (200ft perfect or 250ft good for the age categories you can access as a player). You can probably throw on most of the other things people are mentioning after that.

[DarkSonic1337]

Don't forget to add an crystal of alacrity to your armor for a +5ft morale bonus to speed :smallcool:

[ILM]

My personal favourite (but not exactly permanent) way to increase fly speed goes like this:
- Elemental Body (air) (SC) for fly speed equal to base land speed, perfect maneuverability, 1 hour/CL
- Cloud Wings (SC, Druid 2) - UMD a wand or something - for +30 ft (untyped), 1 hour/CL
- Wings of Swift Flying (RotD, Sorc 1) for another +30 ft (untyped), 1 hour/CL
- Aerial Alacrity (RotW, Sorc/Wiz/Sky 4) for another +30 ft (untyped), 1 min/CL (duration sucks but at least it's a swift action to cast)
- Boots of Haste because hey, why not: free action +30 ft (enhancement) to all speed modes, 10 rounds/day

No feat or level investment required, it's all doable with moderate amounts of cash and UMD. Assuming base land speed of 30 ft, you end up with fly (perfect) 150 ft if not permanently, at least whenever you need it since it takes only a swift action to set up all the short-duration buffs.

Note: mind the bonus types because most move speed increases in 3.5 seem to be enhancement.

[Necroticplague]

Shadow template increases all of your speeds by 50%.

[Zaq]

Guys, the thread's like four years old.

(How do people even FIND these old threads to resurrect?)

[WhamBamSam]

Guys, the thread's like four years old.

(How do people even FIND these old threads to resurrect?)Whoops.

Old giantip threads will still come up on google searches for people looking up D&D things. I assume that's how this sort of thing usually comes to pass.

[ILM]

Aw man, I'm usually good at spotting that sort of thing. Sorry mods!

[Haruki-kun]

The Winged Mod: As mentioned before, thread necromancy. Feel free to start a new thread on the topic if you want to discuss it further.