When Should PCs Be Flying?

[Palanan]

Assuming a low- to mid-op game, about when should PCs pick up some manner of flight?

Or maybe a better way to ask the question is, when does the game start to assume that PCs will have access to flight?

[(Un)Inspired]

5th level.

[Ephemeral_Being]

Wizards get the Fly spell at fifth level. Sorcerers get it at sixth.

Clerics with the Travel domain get Fly at fifth level.

Druids get Wildshape at fifth level. They could also get a Dire Bat as an animal companion at 4th level.

Does that help? Somewhere between levels 4-6. By seven, Flight should be available to your party.

[Flickerdart]

I'd say that while 5th level is when flight becomes easily available (well, 3rd level with Alter Self, really, but you know what I mean) the game doesn't really expect everyone to have it until 10th or so.

[Psyren]

To elaborate, PCs should have access to at least limited/restricted flight, such as from potions or party buffs, at level 5 if they need to take to the air for a given combat encounter or to bypass an immediate obstacle. Constant flight for the whole party (overland flight, phantom steeds, flying mounts, winged boots) comes online much later, roughly around 9 or so.

Psyrogue'd by Flickerdart

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Flickerdart
I'd say that while 5th level is when flight becomes easily available...the game doesn't really expect everyone to have it until 10th or so.

This is more what I was going for--a sense of when characters will be falling behind if they don't have flight when the game assumes they will.

As Tony Stark once said, I probably should've led with that one.


Originally Posted by Psyren
To elaborate, PCs should have access to at least limited/restricted flight, such as from potions or party buffs, at level 5 if they need to take to the air for a given combat encounter or to bypass an immediate obstacle. Constant flight for the whole party (overland flight, phantom steeds, flying mounts, winged boots) comes online much later, roughly around 9 or so.

And this is very helpful, thank you.

.

[Psyren]

Basically, at 5, most classes can access flight - but the game should not be revolving around it. You can maybe have a few fights with flying enemies that will be easier if the PCs can take to the air after them (or use terrain/ranged weapons if they can't), but I would stir those in sparingly along with the standard land-bound combats, and possibly a few other gimmicks. Or maybe you face the PCs with a steep cliff or wide chasm, and they burn some resources (spell slots, potions, wand charges etc.) getting everyone past the obstacle, or else choosing to go the long way around, or back to town to find someone that can help if there is no way around.

When the party hits around 10+, I would start throwing in some fights where the PCs are seriously disadvantaged without flight. Strafing dragons, or big landbound bruisers with lots of reach that can potentially hit your back row, or terrain obstacles/natural hazards to get past - things like that.

[Tvtyrant]

3-4. Alterself and Amber Amulet of the Vermin (Giant Wasp) come online at level 3, become common at level 4.

[Solaris]

3-4. Alterself and Amber Amulet of the Vermin (Giant Wasp) come online at level 3, become common at level 4.

That might be a bit higher than 'low- to mid-op'.

[OldTrees1]

Non casters can gain it themselves at 6th via races/feats.

[Tvtyrant]

That might be a bit higher than 'low- to mid-op'.

I don't know, I just give my party amber amulets.

[Necroticplague]

It's possible to be permanently flying at level 2, and permanently flying but fall at the end of your move at level 1. So ideally you'd dip one of those sources ASAP. Somewhere about level 5-6 is when everyone should have some form of flight, while everyone should have perma-flight by level somewhere around 8-10. So basically, if you haven't dipped Ghost or Totemist, get a wand/couple potions/eternal wands of Flight until you can afford Feathered Wings.

[Firechanter]

In our new game, at level 5 my mundane character (Warblade) is currently the only one with some kind of Flight, via Amber Amulet. Another might fake it somehow via Factotum. The actual casters are multiclassed and won't get Fly before level 7.

[atemu1234]

In our new game, at level 5 my mundane character (Warblade) is currently the only one with some kind of Flight, via Amber Amulet. Another might fake it somehow via Factotum. The actual casters are multiclassed and won't get Fly before level 7.

So yeah, fifth level.

[Mystral]

Assuming a low- to mid-op game, about when should PCs pick up some manner of flight?

Or maybe a better way to ask the question is, when does the game start to assume that PCs will have access to flight?

The game starts to assume some manner of flight somewhere at level 9. Before that (level 5-8), Flying is a usefull tool, but not required. Before level 5, flying characters have a big advantage because of utility that their opposition doesn't have.

[sideswipe]

level 1. everyone plays anthro bats obviously.

[Vrock_Summoner]

Well, obviously the designers think you should have permaflight by level 2, to deal with those CR 2 Wyrmling White Dragons. Anything less is even less than WotC-op. And that would be wrong.

:smalltongue: