how does flying combat work?

[CyberThread]

So if am a raptorean and am flying about with a spear, what set of rules do I need to be aware of outside normal stuck on the ground combat

[Flickerdart]

Mostly two:
1: Depending on your maneuverability, you may have restrictions on how you can turn, ascend, or descend. Staying in place (and this getting full attacks) is also tricky, since most flight speeds require you to maintain a measure of forward movement or stall and crash.
2: Diving charges! If you charge while descending at least 10 feet, you can attack with claws or talons for double damage.

[Ralcos]

Flight is a complexity when it comes to combat.
Basically (depending on maneuverability), you have to move at least a certain amount of feet before doing anything, else you risk crash.
The best flyers can fly as if they were walking on air, ignoring that rule.
In other cases, combat is similar to as if you were on foot.

[Maginomicon]

There's a Flight Handbook (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=299600) that might help. The tricky thing to wrap your head around is that in order to maneuver you have to literally "spend" some of the feet in your movement speed that turn because facing matters during flight.

[OldTrees1]

Combat maneuvers in the air may be changed
(Source: Rules of the Game: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20040706a)
Tripping causes stalling instead of tripping.
Tripping and Overrun are adjusted by maneuverability: +12 for perfect, +8 for good, +4 for average, +0 for poor, -4 for clumsy
Failing a bull rush can cause stalling. (Not moving your minimum forward distance causes stalling)



Question: How does descending work? Can I descend at 5degrees and if I do so is my speed doubled? At what angle does horizontal movement become upward movement?

[The Viscount]

You might ask your DM about getting the +1 bonus to attack from higher ground. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/combatModifiers.htm) It's not really defined, so it might apply even when flying.

[Slipperychicken]

I used a similar trick once, flying high above enemies' heads and pummeling them with 20ft reach. It is absolutely cruel :smallbiggrin:


Mostly two:
1: Depending on your maneuverability, you may have restrictions on how you can turn, ascend, or descend. Staying in place (and this getting full attacks) is also tricky, since most flight speeds require you to maintain a measure of forward movement or stall and crash.


You should learn them just in case, but I have never seen or heard of anyone using the flight maneuverability rules in D&D 3.5, so I feel confident that your group won't use them either.

[Curmudgeon]

You should learn them just in case, but I have never seen or heard of anyone using the flight maneuverability rules in D&D 3.5, so I feel confident that your group won't use them either.
My group always uses the rules, if you want a new data point. We draw an altitude number and a directional arrow on the battle mat next to the die placed below each flying miniature, which makes it easy to maintain continuity of flight path from round to round. (The directional arrows have some special tweaks to represent up and down angles.)