AmeVulpes
2019-02-17, 08:47 PM
As the title implies, I am dealing with flying players on a regular basis.
They range from Half-Celestials and Pegasus cavaliers, to Nightmare riders and Tauric Wasps.
The Winged template from Savage Species is a LA +2 template.
Flight is very powerful in general. It near-absolutely negates fall damage, gives total discretion in engaging random encounters, and in open battle, trivializes enemies without long-range options.
I had a recent campaign running where two players were Half-Celestial Rangers, generals of a kingdom, and they went to war against Orcs. The typical Orc is equipped with a falchion and a javelin.
Instead of using their extensive minionmancy to engage warfare, they used Rapid Shot and such from high altitude to eliminate the bulk of the Orc formations.
Of course, Tower Shielded formations forced them to do other things, and the occasional Orc caster or archery platoon would give them a bit of a push-back.
Without tailoring encounters to flying players, and without changing the typical equipment that enemies carry (often a javelin as the only ranged option), what is the average monster's answer to a fast(er) flying enemy who has caught them in the open with superior range? I read in a dragon magazine that alchemical smoke-producing items are helpful to players, but only because it gives a bit of time to prep or plan, it doesn't really help with a getaway in, say, a field.
I don't want to ban flight, but should templates/races with wings be more expensive? The Fly spell can achieve the same thing for a short time without specialized building, and a level 6 Warlock can fly all day long, albiet without the rest of his party.
They range from Half-Celestials and Pegasus cavaliers, to Nightmare riders and Tauric Wasps.
The Winged template from Savage Species is a LA +2 template.
Flight is very powerful in general. It near-absolutely negates fall damage, gives total discretion in engaging random encounters, and in open battle, trivializes enemies without long-range options.
I had a recent campaign running where two players were Half-Celestial Rangers, generals of a kingdom, and they went to war against Orcs. The typical Orc is equipped with a falchion and a javelin.
Instead of using their extensive minionmancy to engage warfare, they used Rapid Shot and such from high altitude to eliminate the bulk of the Orc formations.
Of course, Tower Shielded formations forced them to do other things, and the occasional Orc caster or archery platoon would give them a bit of a push-back.
Without tailoring encounters to flying players, and without changing the typical equipment that enemies carry (often a javelin as the only ranged option), what is the average monster's answer to a fast(er) flying enemy who has caught them in the open with superior range? I read in a dragon magazine that alchemical smoke-producing items are helpful to players, but only because it gives a bit of time to prep or plan, it doesn't really help with a getaway in, say, a field.
I don't want to ban flight, but should templates/races with wings be more expensive? The Fly spell can achieve the same thing for a short time without specialized building, and a level 6 Warlock can fly all day long, albiet without the rest of his party.