Flying Mineral Warrior

[betelgeuce]

So Mineral warrior specifically states

Speed: A mineral warrior gains a burrow speed equal to one-half the base creature's highest speed. The base creature loses its fly ability, if any.
But what if they gain the ability to fly after they become a mineral warrior? The text says they lose their fly ability not the ability to fly in general.

[betelgeuce]

For example if they acquire a graft or an ability through a template nephalum (sp?), air element, etc?

[Lateral]

Yes, they can.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Just one example of that would be a Water Orc (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/elementalRacialVariants.htm#racesOfWater) who gains Dragonborn of Bahamut (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20060105b) (wings), and then gains Mineral Warrior (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20031003e) afterward but before hitting 6th level.

Dragonborn removes all of the Water Race and Orc traits apart from ability score adjustments, size, and movement speeds, so you retain your swim speed. Mineral Warrior gives you a burrow speed, and since you don't have a fly speed it cannot remove a fly speed. Gaining Mineral Warrior after Dragonborn means the ritual of rebirth doesn't remove any of the Mineral Warrior traits. Once you hit 6th level your wings grant you a fly speed, which is not retroactively removed by Mineral Warrior.

You end up with a land, swim, burrow, and fly speed, and if you get Ape Totem Barbarian (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#apeTotemClassFeatures) you'll also have a climb speed. Your ability score adjustments are Str +6, Dex -2, Con +8, Int -4, Wis -4, Cha -4, you get +3 natural armor, DR 8/Adamantine, and all the other Dragonborn and Mineral Warrior traits. You've only got a +1 LA from Mineral Warrior, which can be bought off (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/reducingLevelAdjustments.htm) three levels after gaining it (ideally at 4th).

[betelgeuce]

I posted my dilemma in another thread I put up about creature type stacking. I am hitting a snag on probably my best and favorite melee build ever. :smallfrown:

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

I posted my dilemma in another thread I put up about creature type stacking. I am hitting a snag on probably my best and favorite melee build ever. :smallfrown:

It's not retroactive. Upon gaining Mineral Warrior, you lose any fly speed you already had. Gaining an ability to fly later on is completely unaffected by Mineral Warrior.