The whole point of D&D is to overcome challenges. Yes, flying is an easy way to overcome certain challenges. That just means that as a DM, I just get to make the challenges harder, I con take the gloves off as it were. Now I can actually use a squadron of koboldvulture riders to full effect without feeling bad. 😉
This is the simplest answer to "How do I balance for flying PCs?". You don't, they just have encounters in the air. They want to fly? Meet them where they want to be.
If they are knocked unconscious in the air, they fail a death save once they take the fast train back to the ground. A Web can wreak havoc on flying creatures.
At low level, if they fall from a reasonable height then they have a good chance of dying instantly.
Mathematically, the longer you fool around, the more you will find out. It's a linear progression.
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Flying at low levels stinks, ruins some basic fun challenges.
That just means it’s time for more interesting challenges.
So much this. At my table, I gave one of the players flying boots at level 3 or 4. In one challenge, there was a collapsed bridge over a pit that I had worked out a plan to have them walk across along one of the walls and harass them with some burrowing rust monsters. Instead, the flying PC tied a rope to one end and floated across to serve as an anchor for the rest of the PCs. It kind of woke me up and was a bit shocking that I did not think of something so obvious could no-sell my little lowbie challenge.
I think that is what is really happening here with those who do not like flying PCs. I see the hate for flying PCs as a confidence issue with the DMs. No hate though, I experienced it immediately after I got bamboozled. But IamSposta is right; once I got over it, I realized that I can now make for some awesome challenges. The players are often going to tear your plans apart - there are three to six of them and only one of you. If anything, giving them things like flight is liberating and allows you to cut loose a bit more.
I find that flying is more a red flag than anything. Its not that its inherently overpowered, because as many have said on this thread, there are plenty of ways to cut them down to size if you plan your encounters more carefully. The problem for me tends to come in when that player begins utilizing something like flight to springboard into other, less fun places. Suddenly they want to grapple everyone and drop them from really high. Or maybe they are using their flight to try and fly through a dungeons halls while ignoring most of the traps.
As others have said, the most important thing is to analyze the players motiviations. Do they want to roleplay this specific race? Great. Let them go with it no questions asked. Are they the kind of player who is almost always looking to break the world's physics to get an edge in combat? Have they only mentioned mechanics in bringing it up to you? It may be time for a long conversation with them, or it might be best to have them stick to land. I can say I've done more research and prep for one flying character in my party looking to exploit the fact than I have for the rest of the campaign. It can be a real burden if you don't have a lid on it.
I had a player play Aarakocra Monk from level 3 to level 20 over 3 years. You better believe that he faced Archers, Mephits, Imps, Giant Wasps, Harpies, Griffon Riders, Dragons, Dragon Riders, Rocs, Beholders, etc. When the flier tried to use his flight to accomplish a task without the party he often found himself heavily outnumbered, had to retreat, and inadvertantly put the enemy on high alert. Also, flight doesn't do much good when you're in 6 ft tall tunnels underground.
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That just means it’s time for more interesting challenges.
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Mathematically, the longer you fool around, the more you will find out. It's a linear progression.
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” - Mark Twain - Innocents Abroad
So much this. At my table, I gave one of the players flying boots at level 3 or 4. In one challenge, there was a collapsed bridge over a pit that I had worked out a plan to have them walk across along one of the walls and harass them with some burrowing rust monsters. Instead, the flying PC tied a rope to one end and floated across to serve as an anchor for the rest of the PCs. It kind of woke me up and was a bit shocking that I did not think of something so obvious could no-sell my little lowbie challenge.
I think that is what is really happening here with those who do not like flying PCs. I see the hate for flying PCs as a confidence issue with the DMs. No hate though, I experienced it immediately after I got bamboozled. But IamSposta is right; once I got over it, I realized that I can now make for some awesome challenges. The players are often going to tear your plans apart - there are three to six of them and only one of you. If anything, giving them things like flight is liberating and allows you to cut loose a bit more.
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I find that flying is more a red flag than anything. Its not that its inherently overpowered, because as many have said on this thread, there are plenty of ways to cut them down to size if you plan your encounters more carefully. The problem for me tends to come in when that player begins utilizing something like flight to springboard into other, less fun places. Suddenly they want to grapple everyone and drop them from really high. Or maybe they are using their flight to try and fly through a dungeons halls while ignoring most of the traps.
As others have said, the most important thing is to analyze the players motiviations. Do they want to roleplay this specific race? Great. Let them go with it no questions asked. Are they the kind of player who is almost always looking to break the world's physics to get an edge in combat? Have they only mentioned mechanics in bringing it up to you? It may be time for a long conversation with them, or it might be best to have them stick to land. I can say I've done more research and prep for one flying character in my party looking to exploit the fact than I have for the rest of the campaign. It can be a real burden if you don't have a lid on it.
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I had a player play Aarakocra Monk from level 3 to level 20 over 3 years. You better believe that he faced Archers, Mephits, Imps, Giant Wasps, Harpies, Griffon Riders, Dragons, Dragon Riders, Rocs, Beholders, etc. When the flier tried to use his flight to accomplish a task without the party he often found himself heavily outnumbered, had to retreat, and inadvertantly put the enemy on high alert. Also, flight doesn't do much good when you're in 6 ft tall tunnels underground.