So I was considering doing an Aarakocra build. I read somewhere on the forum about not allowing the spell that lets you fly too early because it breaks the game. Would the Aarokocra's flight ability break the game?
What class do you think would work well with the +2 Dex and +1 Wis as well as the flight ability?
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
As a DM I don't have any issues with flight, but DM's vary so you should ask yours.
I would think pretty much anything that wants to stay away from melee is a good option. Archer Battlemaster comes to mind or a Mountain Druid perhaps might be fun.
Flight is a very versatile and powerful ability, both in combat and otherwise. Preparing encounters and other challenges that aren't circumvented or negated by at will flight can be a challenge and generally require extra work on the DM's part, especially doing so in a way that isn't obviously set up specifically to counter the flying PC and thus feels forced and out of place. On the other hand they may be totally comfortable with a flying PC...just don't be surprised if your ability to fly isn't unique and you find the campaign world populated by a bunch of flying foes ready to chase you around the sky, and any defensive situation prepared against such threats (including you).
As with any character (especially one you think is cool, unique, awesome, or special in any mechanical and/or RP-related manner), I suggest checking with your DM first; not only can they tell you if they'll allow it but (assuming it's approved) they can also plan ahead to work it into their game and give you tips and suggestions to make it fit as well. For example, you might want to rethink your choice if the DM tells you they've prepared a campaign that takes place mostly in caves, dungeons, and other enclosed areas where flight would be generally pointless because of the ever-present low ceilings. I'm not suggesting this is the case, but if a player likes to surprise the DM with something about their character that wasn't made clear in advance, especially if it can have a major impact on the game they've prepared, the reaction will often be to consider that player an adversarial element and therefor a whole parade of disruptions and problems waiting to happen and that messes with everybody being able to enjoy the game.
For class, if you are playing an Aaracokra the obvious starting point is to think how flight can be a benefit to what you're doing. Any variety of archer is an obvious route, though spellcasters can also be effective at range and tend to wear light armor, if any at all (you're restricted to light armor to fly). Rogues can make a lot of use of the extra mobility both in and out of combat, be it to get into a flanking position or to get over walls, or to high windows for clandestine entry purposes. If you want to go counter to expectations, barbarians don't necessarily need armor and many foes might be rather surprised to find a raging bird person diving down at them from the sky swinging a greataxe. Also rogues and barbarians can both use bows as well. Lastly, because it's kind of my favorite class, I'll point out clerics come in all shapes and sizes with myriad potential specialties depending on their domain and choice of patron deity, and you can generally fit one into any race or background with the right choices there because just about everybody in D&D is willing to pray to somebody at some point.
I am DM’ing a campaign with an Aarakocra and I will happily do so again. Yes, flight is a huge advantage sometimes, but it doesn’t do anything when you’re in a room with 10’ ceilings so it isn’t always an advantage. Plus there’s always a huge risk of falling when you’re knocked prone, stunned, or knocked unconscious.
My biggest surprise was how often the Aarokocra PC doesn’t fly. He flys a lot, but when there’s a Rick of him falling he takes a cautious approach.
If you want to go counter to expectations, barbarians don't necessarily need armor and many foes might be rather surprised to find a raging bird person diving down at them from the sky swinging a greataxe.
If Hawkman and Flash Gordon have taught me anything, it's that maces are the preferred weapon of aarakocra barbarians
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Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Personally I don't allow aaracockra PCs. Flying is too game breaking at low levels.
Want the PCs to cross a rapidly flowing river? Fly over, secure rope to tree, done.
Want the PCs to scale a precipice? Fly up, secure rope, done - or carry your friends up one by one. Climbing kits and Spiderclimb spells are a waste of resources.
Want to run an encounter against a group of Blights, wolves or other non-shooting creatures? Rest of the party flee while the aaracockra shoots from above until they're all dead.
Want to plan a castle with a secret entrance so the PCs don't have to take the main door? Well, you have to also factor in the possibility of them entering from every single window, or from the roof. This might be your bag, but it also might be a pain, giving you vastly more planning to do.
Want the PCs to get lost in the wilderness? Nevermind, aaracockra can just fly up, scout exactly where they are, and let everyone know (Familiars do this as well, very annoyingly)
And so on. Someone is bound to say "Put in some monsters on the other side of the river to make flying there alone dangerous!" No. If you build the world specifically to counter the flying ability, then you aren't allowing the character to use their ability.
I'm certainly not saying that a game can't work if you have a flying character, but it's way more powerful than any other racial in the game at low level (Yuan Ti magic resistance is better at higher levels when other flight options are available), it's just that the presence of a single flying character rules out a lot of possible low level encounters.
Ran a solo game of the DoIP where the PC was an Arakocra rogue and her sidekick was a Tortle Heal caster. As tortles like being able to see the sky and don't like going under ground it was quite humorous when they got to the dwarven ruins and both stood at the door slowing nudging the other forward ... till the orcs came. Other then that, didn't have to many other problems with flying, mostly because I wasn't to good as balancing combat, so hit and run sneak attack tactics were in the players favor as they were also trying to keep the sidekick alive.
Aarakocra Ranger in the group I am DMing. We discussed it early on and I told him any archery or ranged spells cast while flying would be at disadvantage. He's not hovering steady like a hummingbird, he's flapping huge wings to keep a 170 pound body in the air. That creates some disruption/instability that costs in accuracy. No real issues and he has adapted quite well, always checking to see if there is a branch or ledge or some such to perch on at height. I have also introduced extra minions when I need them (goblins with bows) who immediately target the "unreachable" enemy.
Flight is only a problem if the DM isn't up to the task of creating content that can challenge the group. Yes, it takes a little extra effort to ensure they don't "easy mode" some things, but so far I haven't had much issue with it.
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Talk to your Players.Talk to your DM. If more people used this advice, there would be 24.74% fewer threads on Tactics, Rules and DM discussions.
1) Want the PCs to cross a rapidly flowing river? Fly over, secure rope to tree, done.
2) Want the PCs to scale a precipice? Fly up, secure rope, done - or carry your friends up one by one. Climbing kits and Spiderclimb spells are a waste of resources.
3) Want to run an encounter against a group of Blights, wolves or other non-shooting creatures? Rest of the party flee while the aaracockra shoots from above until they're all dead.
4) Want to plan a castle with a secret entrance so the PCs don't have to take the main door? Well, you have to also factor in the possibility of them entering from every single window, or from the roof. This might be your bag, but it also might be a pain, giving you vastly more planning to do.
5) Want the PCs to get lost in the wilderness? Nevermind, aaracockra can just fly up, scout exactly where they are, and let everyone know (Familiars do this as well, very annoyingly)
1) Not if they have a non-negligible weight to transport. Regardless, there should still be a check (likely Str (Athletics)) involved for everyone, as opposed to a check for... crafting a raft? Throwing a lasso or climbing hook? What's the scenario you're hoping for, if there's no flight available?
2) At least a Str check for the Aaracokra in order to carry a buddy aloft, and again Str (Athletics) checks for everyone if climbing up. One PC with a dungeoneer's pack turns flying up with a rope into a doable check to climb up. You don't really lose all that much.
3) Every blight or wolf dodges until the Aaracokra runs out of arrows (since everyone else is fleeing, it's not like they're preoccupied with other PCs). No xp for the encounter, everybody just wasted 10 mins of game time. I don't think a lot of parties will keep doing this.
4) Well, unless they can all fly they'd be splitting up the party. A secret entrance would be more likely to allow for the advantage of continued surprise too.
5) Wisdom (Survival) checks to avoid getting lost are pretty doable if you go by the DMG. If the Aaracokra can fly up and see where they are without having to fly a good distance, they're probably not very far in the wilderness to begin with. If the Aaracokra does have to fly a good distance, they'll have to be able to find the party upon returning.
I mean, yes, flight makes things easier. I don't think it necessarily trivializes those things though. There's normally no cover in the air and being the one flyer paints a rather big bull's eye on a character too.
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Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
1) Want the PCs to cross a rapidly flowing river? Fly over, secure rope to tree, done.
2) Want the PCs to scale a precipice? Fly up, secure rope, done - or carry your friends up one by one. Climbing kits and Spiderclimb spells are a waste of resources.
3) Want to run an encounter against a group of Blights, wolves or other non-shooting creatures? Rest of the party flee while the aaracockra shoots from above until they're all dead.
4) Want to plan a castle with a secret entrance so the PCs don't have to take the main door? Well, you have to also factor in the possibility of them entering from every single window, or from the roof. This might be your bag, but it also might be a pain, giving you vastly more planning to do.
5) Want the PCs to get lost in the wilderness? Nevermind, aaracockra can just fly up, scout exactly where they are, and let everyone know (Familiars do this as well, very annoyingly)
1) Not if they have a non-negligible weight to transport. Regardless, there should still be a check (likely Str (Athletics)) involved for everyone, as opposed to a check for... crafting a raft? Throwing a lasso or climbing hook? What's the scenario you're hoping for, if there's no flight available
Could be crafting a raft, could be a series of skill checks, could be any number of things. But the option to just fly across and rope the other side is just too obvious to not do it. Player agency is removed. But as mentioned in (2), really the Aaracockra can just fly them over one by one anyway.
2) At least a Str check for the Aaracokra in order to carry a buddy aloft, and again Str (Athletics) checks for everyone if climbing up. One PC with a dungeoneer's pack turns flying up with a rope into a doable check to climb up. You don't really lose all that much.
There is no Str check to carry something, even if it makes you encumbered. This would be illogical. One player climbing up and fastening a rope is not as effective as just carrying them one by one, which is free and requires no checks.
3) Every blight or wolf dodges until the Aaracokra runs out of arrows (since everyone else is fleeing, it's not like they're preoccupied with other PCs). No xp for the encounter, everybody just wasted 10 mins of game time. I don't think a lot of parties will keep doing this.
Good luck if they're a caster using Firebolt or similar, and dodging creatures are not immune to damage. Give me 20 free shots against a dodging creature and that's still a major advantage. And remember that the aaracockra is never, ever in danger from encounters against creatures that can't shoot (beasts, zombies etc.). The encounter still awards XP.
4) Well, unless they can all fly they'd be splitting up the party. A secret entrance would be more likely to allow for the advantage of continued surprise too.
See earlier point about flying the party up one by one.
5) Wisdom (Survival) checks to avoid getting lost are pretty doable if you go by the DMG. If the Aaracokra can fly up and see where they are without having to fly a good distance, they're probably not very far in the wilderness to begin with. If the Aaracokra does have to fly a good distance, they'll have to be able to find the party upon returning.
I mean, yes, flight makes things easier. I don't think it necessarily trivializes those things though. There's normally no cover in the air and being the one flyer paints a rather big bull's eye on a character too.
The aaracockra can dash upwards, gaining a view from 500ft high in under a minute. They can accurately map out the lay of the land, enemy camps and fortifications, find out what's beyond the hill without going there and so on. I'm not sure how this doesn't seem incredibly powerful to everyone.
I feel you've tried to claim that flying is essentially of no real use in most scenarios (with one minor caveat that it makes things easier). Having one flying character makes everything much easier to the point that Fly is one of the best spells in the game because of its immense versatility. Winged Boots are hugely popular because flying is awesome. If any character race could swap its racial ability for a flying speed (aside from Yuan Ti) then they would.
If your points were all correct and flying wasn't all that useful, then just don't allow aaracockras to fly in the game and it shouldn't make any real difference, so you could allow all characters to start with Winged Boots in their inventory. Are you really sure that wouldn't trivialise quite a lot of potential encounters?
And here we're only talking about a single aaracockra in a party. It's possible that everyone in the party chooses to play one.
From the PHB p. 175: "A Strength check can model any attempt to lift, push, pull, or break something..." Carrying a buddy (never mind several buddies in succession) aloft seems to qualify as lifting something to me.
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Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
With all the ideas and suggestions offered already, there is little to fear from having birdies in the party. It's a bit more of a challenge to ensure the challenge for the players remains, but it IS do-able with a little effort. Offering workarounds, to try and up-play the ability and ignore the "solutions" isn't productive. If they bother you so much, ban them at your table. Otherwise, take some well-intended advice to ensure the ability isn't an instant win for everything you put before them. There are a LOT more ways to make a party realize the risks and dangers of being airborne than there are exploits.
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Talk to your Players.Talk to your DM. If more people used this advice, there would be 24.74% fewer threads on Tactics, Rules and DM discussions.
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So I was considering doing an Aarakocra build. I read somewhere on the forum about not allowing the spell that lets you fly too early because it breaks the game. Would the Aarokocra's flight ability break the game?
What class do you think would work well with the +2 Dex and +1 Wis as well as the flight ability?
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
As a DM I don't have any issues with flight, but DM's vary so you should ask yours.
I would think pretty much anything that wants to stay away from melee is a good option. Archer Battlemaster comes to mind or a Mountain Druid perhaps might be fun.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
Flight is a very versatile and powerful ability, both in combat and otherwise. Preparing encounters and other challenges that aren't circumvented or negated by at will flight can be a challenge and generally require extra work on the DM's part, especially doing so in a way that isn't obviously set up specifically to counter the flying PC and thus feels forced and out of place. On the other hand they may be totally comfortable with a flying PC...just don't be surprised if your ability to fly isn't unique and you find the campaign world populated by a bunch of flying foes ready to chase you around the sky, and any defensive situation prepared against such threats (including you).
As with any character (especially one you think is cool, unique, awesome, or special in any mechanical and/or RP-related manner), I suggest checking with your DM first; not only can they tell you if they'll allow it but (assuming it's approved) they can also plan ahead to work it into their game and give you tips and suggestions to make it fit as well. For example, you might want to rethink your choice if the DM tells you they've prepared a campaign that takes place mostly in caves, dungeons, and other enclosed areas where flight would be generally pointless because of the ever-present low ceilings. I'm not suggesting this is the case, but if a player likes to surprise the DM with something about their character that wasn't made clear in advance, especially if it can have a major impact on the game they've prepared, the reaction will often be to consider that player an adversarial element and therefor a whole parade of disruptions and problems waiting to happen and that messes with everybody being able to enjoy the game.
For class, if you are playing an Aaracokra the obvious starting point is to think how flight can be a benefit to what you're doing. Any variety of archer is an obvious route, though spellcasters can also be effective at range and tend to wear light armor, if any at all (you're restricted to light armor to fly). Rogues can make a lot of use of the extra mobility both in and out of combat, be it to get into a flanking position or to get over walls, or to high windows for clandestine entry purposes. If you want to go counter to expectations, barbarians don't necessarily need armor and many foes might be rather surprised to find a raging bird person diving down at them from the sky swinging a greataxe. Also rogues and barbarians can both use bows as well. Lastly, because it's kind of my favorite class, I'll point out clerics come in all shapes and sizes with myriad potential specialties depending on their domain and choice of patron deity, and you can generally fit one into any race or background with the right choices there because just about everybody in D&D is willing to pray to somebody at some point.
I am DM’ing a campaign with an Aarakocra and I will happily do so again. Yes, flight is a huge advantage sometimes, but it doesn’t do anything when you’re in a room with 10’ ceilings so it isn’t always an advantage. Plus there’s always a huge risk of falling when you’re knocked prone, stunned, or knocked unconscious.
My biggest surprise was how often the Aarokocra PC doesn’t fly. He flys a lot, but when there’s a Rick of him falling he takes a cautious approach.
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If Hawkman and Flash Gordon have taught me anything, it's that maces are the preferred weapon of aarakocra barbarians
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Personally I don't allow aaracockra PCs. Flying is too game breaking at low levels.
And so on. Someone is bound to say "Put in some monsters on the other side of the river to make flying there alone dangerous!" No. If you build the world specifically to counter the flying ability, then you aren't allowing the character to use their ability.
I'm certainly not saying that a game can't work if you have a flying character, but it's way more powerful than any other racial in the game at low level (Yuan Ti magic resistance is better at higher levels when other flight options are available), it's just that the presence of a single flying character rules out a lot of possible low level encounters.
Ran a solo game of the DoIP where the PC was an Arakocra rogue and her sidekick was a Tortle Heal caster.
As tortles like being able to see the sky and don't like going under ground it was quite humorous when they got to the dwarven ruins and both stood at the door slowing nudging the other forward ... till the orcs came.
Other then that, didn't have to many other problems with flying, mostly because I wasn't to good as balancing combat, so hit and run sneak attack tactics were in the players favor as they were also trying to keep the sidekick alive.
Aarakocra Ranger in the group I am DMing. We discussed it early on and I told him any archery or ranged spells cast while flying would be at disadvantage. He's not hovering steady like a hummingbird, he's flapping huge wings to keep a 170 pound body in the air. That creates some disruption/instability that costs in accuracy. No real issues and he has adapted quite well, always checking to see if there is a branch or ledge or some such to perch on at height. I have also introduced extra minions when I need them (goblins with bows) who immediately target the "unreachable" enemy.
Flight is only a problem if the DM isn't up to the task of creating content that can challenge the group. Yes, it takes a little extra effort to ensure they don't "easy mode" some things, but so far I haven't had much issue with it.
Talk to your Players. Talk to your DM. If more people used this advice, there would be 24.74% fewer threads on Tactics, Rules and DM discussions.
1) Not if they have a non-negligible weight to transport. Regardless, there should still be a check (likely Str (Athletics)) involved for everyone, as opposed to a check for... crafting a raft? Throwing a lasso or climbing hook? What's the scenario you're hoping for, if there's no flight available?
2) At least a Str check for the Aaracokra in order to carry a buddy aloft, and again Str (Athletics) checks for everyone if climbing up. One PC with a dungeoneer's pack turns flying up with a rope into a doable check to climb up. You don't really lose all that much.
3) Every blight or wolf dodges until the Aaracokra runs out of arrows (since everyone else is fleeing, it's not like they're preoccupied with other PCs). No xp for the encounter, everybody just wasted 10 mins of game time. I don't think a lot of parties will keep doing this.
4) Well, unless they can all fly they'd be splitting up the party. A secret entrance would be more likely to allow for the advantage of continued surprise too.
5) Wisdom (Survival) checks to avoid getting lost are pretty doable if you go by the DMG. If the Aaracokra can fly up and see where they are without having to fly a good distance, they're probably not very far in the wilderness to begin with. If the Aaracokra does have to fly a good distance, they'll have to be able to find the party upon returning.
I mean, yes, flight makes things easier. I don't think it necessarily trivializes those things though. There's normally no cover in the air and being the one flyer paints a rather big bull's eye on a character too.
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
Could be crafting a raft, could be a series of skill checks, could be any number of things. But the option to just fly across and rope the other side is just too obvious to not do it. Player agency is removed. But as mentioned in (2), really the Aaracockra can just fly them over one by one anyway.
There is no Str check to carry something, even if it makes you encumbered. This would be illogical. One player climbing up and fastening a rope is not as effective as just carrying them one by one, which is free and requires no checks.
Good luck if they're a caster using Firebolt or similar, and dodging creatures are not immune to damage. Give me 20 free shots against a dodging creature and that's still a major advantage. And remember that the aaracockra is never, ever in danger from encounters against creatures that can't shoot (beasts, zombies etc.). The encounter still awards XP.
See earlier point about flying the party up one by one.
The aaracockra can dash upwards, gaining a view from 500ft high in under a minute. They can accurately map out the lay of the land, enemy camps and fortifications, find out what's beyond the hill without going there and so on. I'm not sure how this doesn't seem incredibly powerful to everyone.
I feel you've tried to claim that flying is essentially of no real use in most scenarios (with one minor caveat that it makes things easier). Having one flying character makes everything much easier to the point that Fly is one of the best spells in the game because of its immense versatility. Winged Boots are hugely popular because flying is awesome. If any character race could swap its racial ability for a flying speed (aside from Yuan Ti) then they would.
If your points were all correct and flying wasn't all that useful, then just don't allow aaracockras to fly in the game and it shouldn't make any real difference, so you could allow all characters to start with Winged Boots in their inventory. Are you really sure that wouldn't trivialise quite a lot of potential encounters?
And here we're only talking about a single aaracockra in a party. It's possible that everyone in the party chooses to play one.
From the PHB p. 175: "A Strength check can model any attempt to lift, push, pull, or break something..." Carrying a buddy (never mind several buddies in succession) aloft seems to qualify as lifting something to me.
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
With all the ideas and suggestions offered already, there is little to fear from having birdies in the party. It's a bit more of a challenge to ensure the challenge for the players remains, but it IS do-able with a little effort. Offering workarounds, to try and up-play the ability and ignore the "solutions" isn't productive. If they bother you so much, ban them at your table. Otherwise, take some well-intended advice to ensure the ability isn't an instant win for everything you put before them. There are a LOT more ways to make a party realize the risks and dangers of being airborne than there are exploits.
Talk to your Players. Talk to your DM. If more people used this advice, there would be 24.74% fewer threads on Tactics, Rules and DM discussions.