Pursuing a Fly Speed

[GryffonDurime]

Alright, so I'm a fan of flying and fly speeds--I enjoy the possibility of moving in all three directions--but I'm having a little problem. I'm currently thinking of trying out a Binder in one of my new campaigns...but Binders have only a single Vestige with a flight ability and it's honestly not quite what I'm looking for. Inspired by Monte Cook's faen and sprytes, I'm trying to create something capricious, charming, and, most likely, modestly evil. So far, the best match I can come up with for this character is a Half-Fey...

With that said, does anyone know of any other possible race choices? At the same time, as a little challenge, who can squeeze the most fly speed out of the fewest resources (levels, adjustments, feats, etc)?

[AtomicKitKat]

Half-Fey gives possibly the best Maneouvrability for a flying race. Winged Template from Savage Species gives Dex-based Man. which is kind of off, but grants Wisdom as well, for a +2 LA. The Flyspeed is also a little whacked(just up it to 2*base land speed, like all others). 0 LA is Raptoran(Races of the Wild), which has HD-based flying. Races of the Dragon gives Dragonborn and those picking the Draconic Wings Feat similar flight to Raptorans(low levels you glide, then you get Con-limited flight, then it's unlimited). Starspawn from Lords of Madness grants membranous(bat-like?) wings, with the same Constitution limitation(Need at least 1 other Feat, Aberrant Blooded. Maybe another Aberrant Feat as well). Warlock 6(?) gives you Fell Flight, which gives a set of black, shadowy wings.

[nerulean]

With the help of this post:

Outsider Wings (RoF) (aasimar or tiefling only)
Starspawn (LoM) usable 1+Con rounds/ a time
Winged Creature +2 LA (SS)
Half-Dragon +3 LA (Must be Large Size)
Half-Celestial +4 LA (MM)
Half-Fiend +4 LA (MM)
Anthropomorphic Bat (SS)
Raptoran (RotW) 5th level
Aarakocra, race, Races of Faerun - 90' (average), LA+2
Dragonborn (Wings aspect), template, Races of the Dragon - improves with level, eventually 30' (average)
Air Heritage, heritage feat, Planar Handbook - +30'
Shifter w/Swiftwing trait, Races of Eberron, 20' (average)

Air heritage looks promising, but I don't have the book to check it out.

[Dhavaer]

Air heritage looks promising, but I don't have the book to check it out.

Air Heritage only gives a bonus, it doesn't actually grant a fly speed.

[Ulzgoroth]

Air heritage increases an existing fly speed. If you don't have a racial fly speed, that part of it does nothing, though you also get +2 to balance and tumble when in at most light armor and a light load whether or not you're a natural flyer.

[Dausuul]

Alright, so I'm a fan of flying and fly speeds--I enjoy the possibility of moving in all three directions--but I'm having a little problem. I'm currently thinking of trying out a Binder in one of my new campaigns...but Binders have only a single Vestige with a flight ability and it's honestly not quite what I'm looking for. Inspired by Monte Cook's faen and sprytes, I'm trying to create something capricious, charming, and, most likely, modestly evil. So far, the best match I can come up with for this character is a Half-Fey...

With that said, does anyone know of any other possible race choices? At the same time, as a little challenge, who can squeeze the most fly speed out of the fewest resources (levels, adjustments, feats, etc)?

Depending on your starting level, raptorans (Races of the Wild) are probably the best choice mechanically; you get the ability to glide, short-duration flight starting at 5th level, and flight at will starting at 10th level. No level adjustment.

As far as other ways to get flight, magic items are one obvious choice, but tend to be slow. You can also take Leadership and get a pegasus cohort, though that's probably not what you're after. To increase your speed, Air Heritage has already been mentioned, and I believe the Run feat can be applied to flying movement. So can Boots of Striding and Springing, and you can always pick up monk and/or barbarian levels for the extra move.

If you want to go really fast, an arcane caster with phantom steed or a druid with phantom stag is pretty much the ultimate in PC speed, barring extremely complicated combos. Again, though, it doesn't sound as if you're looking for a flying mount.