Flying Races for PCs

[Spiritchaser]

I'm thinking of doing a short campaign where all PCs have flight, partly out of curiosity, and I think it might be fun.

There's not much to choose from stock...

Tiefling, Aarakocra...

Dragonborn with the racial feat (I'd start them off at level 5-8, so an initial feat would be reasonable, or I may give everyone a racial or skill feat to start)

EDIT: If Dragonborn can have a feat for this, I imagine a Kenku could find a way to partially overcome their curse (for this campaign only) for the cost of a feat

Dragon Sorcerers won't likely get wings during the campaign. Even if I start at 8, I'd expect everything would be over before they'd hit 14, so no help there.

I can homebrew Avariel, probably the baseline elven goodies and +2 Dex, +1... Wis?

I could do an Avariel half elven variant

Were there any other races in UA or adventure books?

Other than that there's nothing obvious...

Is there anything in historical lore I'm unaware of? I haven't actually played anything between 2nd edition and 5e, so there's probably a lot

Any suggestions for monstrous races that would be good fits?

If there's just not enough I could probably hand out magic boots and cloaks, but that's not my preferred option.

[Sir cryosin]

Why not just let your players play any race they want. But tell them to come up with a reason they can fly. Be it from, magic item, a flying mount, wings.

[Easy_Lee]

If your PCs can all fly, is this a campaign where most everyone can fly? If so, why not just give them wings and be done with it?

[Spiritchaser]

No, very few races will be able to fly, no more than usual

The players will be the exceptional ones

There will of course be places where this is necessary and critical

There will be dungeon crawls where it is useless

But in memory of a video game called city of heroes, where everyone got a travel power rather early, and where the attendant sense of freedom was... well, lots of fun...

I'd like to see what a party of flying heroes feels like.

And yes, in a pinch, I could just hand out winged boots... but as I said, that's not my preference.

[Easy_Lee]

What if, as a reward for an early quest, a sufficiently powerful figure grants the players a flight speed equal to their movement speed?

[Scathain]

Planeshift Amonkhet adds Aven if you're into another bird people option.

[Nifft]

Is there anything in historical lore I'm unaware of? I haven't actually played anything between 2nd edition and 5e, so there's probably a lot

Any suggestions for monstrous races that would be good fits?
Raptorans (3.5e / Races of the Wild).

There were flying kobolds (might be "Urd") in some editions. 3.5e had a feat which gave some kobolds wings.

Feathery or membranous wings were a fiendish graft that could be applied in 3e.

Half-Fey
Half-Dragon
Half-Celestial
Half-Fiend

You could gain a Fly speed with enough [Aberrant] feats in 3.5e; there's no such thing in 5e and feats are very different so maybe call it a tainted mutant template.


Heh, or make VHuman feats which apply the appropriate modifiers:

Human Experiment: Aberrant
You were subject to horrifying experiments of an aberrant nature. Your flesh is warped by exposure to unnatural substances and magics.
Prerequisite: Variant Human, this feat may only be taken at level 1
Malus: You make all Charisma checks against humanoids with Disadvantage.
Benefit: Hideous membranous wings erupt from your back. If you are unencumbered and wearing light or no armor, you can fly at your walking speed. Choose one additional benefit:
- Faceted Eyes: You have low-light vision, you cannot be Blinded, and you make Wisdom (perception) checks with Advantage.
- Alien Mind: You cannot be Charmed, you have resistance to Psychic damage, and you make Intelligence and Wisdom saving throws with Advantage.
- Scavenging Gullet: You cannot be Poisoned, you have resistance to Poison damage, and you learn the cantrip Poison Spray. Your casting stat is Constitution.
- Waterspawn: You can breathe water and air. Your skin becomes blubbery and slick: you have resistance to Cold damage, and you cannot be Restrained.
- Starspawn: You cannot be Frightened, you gain resistance to Radiant damage, and you learn the cantrip Friends. Your casting stat is Charisma.


Half-Celestial
You were somehow touched by divinity at or before your birth.
Prerequisite: Variant Human, this feat may only be taken at level 1
Benefit: Elegant feathery wings grace your back. If you are unencumbered and wearing light or no armor, you can fly at your walking speed. You make all Charisma checks against Celestials with Advantage. Choose one additional benefit:
- Divine Vigor: You cannot be Poisoned, you have resistance to Necrotic damage, and you learn the cantrip Spare the Dying.
- Divine Flames: You are crowned with a halo of divine flames, and you shed light equivalent to a torch. You make Dexterity (stealth) checks with Disadvantage. You have resistance to Fire and Cold damage.


Half-Devil
You were somehow touched by infernal magic at or before your birth: perhaps by blood, or perhaps a familial curse.
Prerequisite: Variant Human, this feat may only be taken at level 1
Benefit: Dreadful wings loom darkly from your back. If you are unencumbered and wearing light or no armor, you can fly at your walking speed. You make all Charisma (intimidate) checks with Advantage. Choose one additional benefit:
- Devil's Eye: You have darkvision. You can see through all darkness, even magical. You cannot be Blinded.
- Devil's Ego: You make Charisma and Constitution saving throws with Advantage. You learn the cantrips Vicious Mockery and Guidance. Your casting stat is Charisma.


Half-Fey
You were somehow touched by faerie magic at or before your birth: perhaps by blood, or perhaps a familial blessing.
Prerequisite: Variant Human, this feat may only be taken at level 1
Benefit: Gossamer insectile wings grace your back. If you are unencumbered and wearing light or no armor, you can fly at your walking speed. You make all Charisma checks against Fey with Advantage. Choose one additional benefit:
- Quickling: Your base speed increases by 10 ft., you gain proficiency with Athletics and Acrobatics skills, and you make Acrobatics checks with Advantage.
- Trickster: You gain proficiency with Persuasion and Perform skills, you make Intelligence saving throws with Advantage, and you learn the Minor Illusion cantrip.

[DarkKnightJin]

What if, as a reward for an early quest, a sufficiently powerful figure grants the players a flight speed equal to their movement speed?

I'm getting an Aion vibe here.
The PCs go on a quest, prove their worth, and ascend into winged versions of their former selves.
They may or may not be aware of this goal from the word go. Not would be my preference.

Just to see the looks on their faces when you tell them they just got wings and a flight speed equal to their walking speed.

[Spiritchaser]

Raptorans (3.5e / Races of the Wild).

There were flying kobolds (might be "Urd") in some editions. 3.5e had a feat which gave some kobolds wings.

This sounds pretty cool actually... .

I can imagine a feat for Aasimar (half celestial) that would grant flight... not mechanically a flying human, but pretty close conceptually.

Thanks all for the comments, I think I'm probably close enough to get a general sense of who the main races need to be and so on. There's still a lot of thinking to do but should be interesting.

I'm still limited for stat bonus options, but it might be manageable.

[Spiritchaser]

I'm getting an Aion vibe here.
The PCs go on a quest, prove their worth, and ascend into winged versions of their former selves.
They may or may not be aware of this goal from the word go. Not would be my preference.

Just to see the looks on their faces when you tell them they just got wings and a flight speed equal to their walking speed.

I think this is a great idea, but not what I had planned conceptually for this campaign

Perhaps I can talk my old DM into playing again, and running something like this.

Of course if he ran it, the wings would probably be a boon granted by a manipulative demon, would be cursed, and our characters would start having blanked out memories from periods of time when we went all Harry Angel on someone...

sigh

ah well.

[Ninja_Prawn]

Maybe you'll be into this thing I wrote (https://www.dropbox.com/s/s3crmpfdbc5u5x5/Fey%20Creatures%20Complete.pdf?dl=0)? There is a bunch if flying races in it.


partly out of curiosity, and I think it might be fun.

I've been running a game since 2015 where a majority of the PCs are flying races (A Faerie Affair, there's a link in my sig), and I can confirm it's a lot of fun.

[RazDelacroix]

Pfft, to hell with cloaks and wingy boots! GET THAT DWARF SO DRUNK HE FLOATS!

In fact...

AFTER A WILD NIGHT AT THE LOCAL GUILD OF ALCHEMY, THE ENTIRE PARTY GET SUBJECTED TO SOMETHING OF A NIGH PERMANENT FLOAT EFFECT!

If nothing else, the belching could hilariously lead to some funny falling moments.

That, or dust the whole party with pixie flakes.

[Spiritchaser]

Maybe you'll be into this thing I wrote (https://www.dropbox.com/s/s3crmpfdbc5u5x5/Fey%20Creatures%20Complete.pdf?dl=0)? There is a bunch if flying races in it.


That's rather splended actually, wow.

I'm not sure I want that much of a fey roster, but a Slyph would be totally reasonable.

I've got

Avariel: Dex +2 Wis +1 with elven features
Half Elven (Avariel) Cha 2, +1(other), +1(other) with some elven features
Tiefling: Cha +2, Int+1, with some demonic features
Dragonborn: Strength +2, Cha +1, requires feat for wings
Slyph: Dex +2, Int +1 with some elemental, some fey features
Aarakocra: Dex +2, Wis +1, Bird People
Kenku with partially broken Curse: Dex +2, Wis +1, requires feat for wings
Aasimar:+2 Cha, +1 wis, Con or Str. Requires a feat to fly, Protector can get another 5 feet per round fly speed to compensate for the limited flight they already had
Edit:
Flying Kobold: +2 Dex, -2 Str. has pack tactics. Requires feat to fly.

Definitely heavier on some bonuses than others. Maybe that's ok.

If not I could allow Air Genasi to fly with a feat for this adventure. That'd be
Air Genasi: +2 Con, +1 Dex, elemental traits.

If that's still not enough I'm probably into flying boots

And Dwarves with steam powered cyborg pegasi... Oh dear. No.

[suplee215]

if you allow monster races, winged kobolds (with a feat) are right there

[RazDelacroix]

I am now interested in the proposition for steam-powered-cyborg-pegasi. Even if it does fit to tune of teenage mutant ninja turtles.

[Ninja_Prawn]

I am now interested in the proposition for steam-powered-cyborg-pegasi. Even if it does fit to tune of teenage mutant ninja turtles.

Flying Steampunk Cyborg Horses.

You're welcome. :smallwink: