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Greywander
2019-06-07, 12:22 AM
I've worked in making playable undead for D&D 5e, and one of the things I learned during this was that a human skeleton weighs only about 15% of the human that provided it. So, depending on the person, a skeleton might weigh 20-40 lbs.

Then, for some reason, I remembered that wingsuits are a thing, and what is a skeleton if not a frame on which fins and sails could be attached?

One of the problems with being so light (which 5e doesn't acknowledge or model) is that they'd tend to get knocked around more. Thus, it can be useful to put on some full plate, perhaps even the substantially heavier jousting armor, just to add some inertia and bring your weight back in line with that of a living human. But you could just as easily go the other direction and take advantage of you light weight.

For my 5e adaption of playable skeletons, they have vulnerability to bludgeoning damage, and so falling down the stairs can be enough to end them. But it seems like you'd be able to attach some canvas to their skeleton frame such that it would slow falling speed to the point where you wouldn't take falling damage. And a full wingsuit would let you easily glide, more than it would for a living human. Throw some magic into the mix (the Gust cantrip?), and you could probably get full flight out of it.

Wow, I did not expect this post to end with skeleton airbenders. Then again, I suppose Aang is the only airbender that isn't a skeleton, so lore-accurate.

NRSASD
2019-06-07, 08:05 AM
Brilliant!

Pauly
2019-06-07, 08:25 AM
I’m not sure about D&D in particular but a lot of magic undead systems treat the magical energy animating the skeleton as having a mass equivalent to the original living weight. It creates a bunch of problems involving kinetic energy if you don’t.

noob
2019-06-07, 09:09 AM
I’m not sure about D&D in particular but a lot of magic undead systems treat the magical energy animating the skeleton as having a mass equivalent to the original living weight. It creates a bunch of problems involving kinetic energy if you don’t.

Not more than halflings proceeding to deal 2013^435346 damage with their galaxy sized sword thus destroying a planet in a single swing then doing roughly the same damage with a rusted spoon.

Jay R
2019-06-07, 09:25 AM
After watching Game of Thrones, I am treating undead a little differently. The fact that some undead can't be hurt with weapons doesn't mean that they can't be knocked down by them.

Incorporeal undead obviously can't be affected by mundane weapons at all. But a physical undead who can't be injured with weapons is still subject to bull rushes or trips.

bc56
2019-06-07, 10:11 AM
The problem is that if a skeleton trips down the stairs, they probably won't be able to unfold the wingsuit fast enough to slow their fall, and if they do, they probably will crash into the ceiling.
But it's an entertaining idea for sure.

Gallowglass
2019-06-07, 10:28 AM
I've worked in making playable undead for D&D 5e, and one of the things I learned during this was that a human skeleton weighs only about 15% of the human that provided it. So, depending on the person, a skeleton might weigh 20-40 lbs.

Then, for some reason, I remembered that wingsuits are a thing, and what is a skeleton if not a frame on which fins and sails could be attached?

One of the problems with being so light (which 5e doesn't acknowledge or model) is that they'd tend to get knocked around more. Thus, it can be useful to put on some full plate, perhaps even the substantially heavier jousting armor, just to add some inertia and bring your weight back in line with that of a living human. But you could just as easily go the other direction and take advantage of you light weight.

For my 5e adaption of playable skeletons, they have vulnerability to bludgeoning damage, and so falling down the stairs can be enough to end them. But it seems like you'd be able to attach some canvas to their skeleton frame such that it would slow falling speed to the point where you wouldn't take falling damage. And a full wingsuit would let you easily glide, more than it would for a living human. Throw some magic into the mix (the Gust cantrip?), and you could probably get full flight out of it.

Wow, I did not expect this post to end with skeleton airbenders. Then again, I suppose Aang is the only airbender that isn't a skeleton, so lore-accurate.


Thank you. Thank you for making my week.

ATHATH
2019-06-07, 05:59 PM
The problem is that if a skeleton trips down the stairs, they probably won't be able to unfold the wingsuit fast enough to slow their fall, and if they do, they probably will crash into the ceiling.
But it's an entertaining idea for sure.
Someone should sig this.

Phhase
2019-06-08, 01:29 AM
Not more than halflings proceeding to deal 2013^435346 damage with their galaxy sized sword thus destroying a planet in a single swing then doing roughly the same damage with a rusted spoon.

...what? What exactly...?

Braininthejar2
2019-06-08, 09:11 AM
Anyone else though of Brook?

halfeye
2019-06-09, 12:03 PM
I've worked in making playable undead for D&D 5e, and one of the things I learned during this was that a human skeleton weighs only about 15% of the human that provided it. So, depending on the person, a skeleton might weigh 20-40 lbs.

That seems unreasonably light. A living skeleton contains a lot of water, but they probably dry out fairly quickly in the air when exposed. What the status of the skeletons that occur in stories and games is I have no idea, obviously in real life skeletons don't get up and walk.

Kaptin Keen
2019-06-09, 04:44 PM
I'm just guessing, but I'd wager that with 85% reduced weight and no change in strength, if you give your skeleton a pair of wings it will quite simply be able to fly.