It would be helpful to have a few specifics to work with.
Generally speaking, if you want to have a difficult aerial battle for low level players, you can have it happen somewhere that offers combat options, such as on a ship with ballista, or near an armory, where bows and crossbows are plentiful.
However, if you're out in the field, the options may have to do with the creature itself: If it's defending a nest, then the players can gain leverage. If the flying creature has melee attacks, then the players could attempt to lay a trap for it and net it to the ground. If the flying creature has ranged attacks, then the party might need a little help.
The creature is there for a reason, and that reason is likely to present an opportunity.
How do you handle tough flying monsters at low levels when not everyone has great ranged options?
Have the PCs lose and learn "this is why you should make sure you have ranged options"? Just avoid doing it in a wide open field where there's no way to take cover, if the PCs run under cover the ranged flying attacker has to either go in after them (becoming reachable) or abandon the fight.
For context I'm running an encounter with Preyton's. They have Flyby so the players will not gain attacks of opportunity. If they fight in the woods I may say the monsters can't maneuver and thus don't benefit from Flyby. I just see my strength based PC getting frustrated otherwise.
Currently I'm leaning towards a Crit grounding the target for a round or two, they a grounded after loosing 2/3 HP (but deal and extra d6 of damage in their desperation), and have less movement in wooded areas. They will attack the party (level 3) in the open, but the party will have woods they can retreat to to make the fight easier.
Ah, all they need to do is Ready Action and wait for it to attack them. If your group huddles together, then they should be able to get 3-6 opportunities to grapple/attack the Preyton when it attacks, though someone might take a good hit in the process.
In the woods, the canopy would definitely cause interference with Dive Attack, which would reduce the risk.
As a level 3 party, they really shouldn't have any issues with this encounter. Grounding it will give your melee characters a couple of swings, but also trivializes the encounter. You might instead add a few small creatures to the encounter to give the other players something to do.
Good stuff, I didn't think of readying actions. I may still ground it for 1 round on a crit to make the PC feel accomplished, but I think you are right.
Actually, flying enemies are not invincible. Unless the flying enemies have ranged attacks, then they will have to fly in and at least take opportunity attacks and held action attacks. Sometimes that's still an advantage, because it neutralizes two-weapon fighting.
If the flying enemies have ranged attacks and you don't, and you're in an open field, then yeah, you are at a pretty unwinnable tactical disadvantage. That's like not having air superiority in modern warfare or not having cavalry in medieval warfare. Don't put your players in that scenario unless you want them to taste the agony of defeat. Sometimes your players need to learn that they can't win every fight. As long as you give them fair enough warning of what they're going up against, and they still make a dumb choice, provide consequences for it.
Additionally, even if you have tactical superiority, usually flying enemies can get away, and if they're intelligent, they should once they see they're losing. That could be a problem if you were attacking the flying creature to get something from them. Or if they have allies in the area and can alert them to your presence.
My experience with running into flying creatures with poor ranged option was a Manticore when the party was level 2. It eventually ran out of ammunition and left.
Remember, particularly sharp players can even use a grapple as their readied attack, holding the creature down so everyone else can beat it up! They’ll find a way. They usually do. :-)
Environment. Think of ways the players can make use of the battlefield to their advantage, places to take cover that force the flying creature to have to land on the ground and walk to them to be able to attack.
Remember, particularly sharp players can even use a grapple as their readied attack, holding the creature down so everyone else can beat it up! They’ll find a way. They usually do. :-)
With the momentum from flying, I'd definitely give Advantage on the Grapple Strength check to the peryton.
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How do you handle tough flying monsters at low levels when not everyone has great ranged options?
Do you have them fall to the ground after 1/2 health or a crit? Is there another more interesting method?
It would be helpful to have a few specifics to work with.
Generally speaking, if you want to have a difficult aerial battle for low level players, you can have it happen somewhere that offers combat options, such as on a ship with ballista, or near an armory, where bows and crossbows are plentiful.
However, if you're out in the field, the options may have to do with the creature itself:
If it's defending a nest, then the players can gain leverage.
If the flying creature has melee attacks, then the players could attempt to lay a trap for it and net it to the ground.
If the flying creature has ranged attacks, then the party might need a little help.
The creature is there for a reason, and that reason is likely to present an opportunity.
Have the PCs lose and learn "this is why you should make sure you have ranged options"? Just avoid doing it in a wide open field where there's no way to take cover, if the PCs run under cover the ranged flying attacker has to either go in after them (becoming reachable) or abandon the fight.
For context I'm running an encounter with Preyton's. They have Flyby so the players will not gain attacks of opportunity. If they fight in the woods I may say the monsters can't maneuver and thus don't benefit from Flyby. I just see my strength based PC getting frustrated otherwise.
Currently I'm leaning towards a Crit grounding the target for a round or two, they a grounded after loosing 2/3 HP (but deal and extra d6 of damage in their desperation), and have less movement in wooded areas. They will attack the party (level 3) in the open, but the party will have woods they can retreat to to make the fight easier.
Ah, all they need to do is Ready Action and wait for it to attack them. If your group huddles together, then they should be able to get 3-6 opportunities to grapple/attack the Preyton when it attacks, though someone might take a good hit in the process.
In the woods, the canopy would definitely cause interference with Dive Attack, which would reduce the risk.
As a level 3 party, they really shouldn't have any issues with this encounter. Grounding it will give your melee characters a couple of swings, but also trivializes the encounter. You might instead add a few small creatures to the encounter to give the other players something to do.
Good stuff, I didn't think of readying actions. I may still ground it for 1 round on a crit to make the PC feel accomplished, but I think you are right.
A ceiling.
Actually, flying enemies are not invincible. Unless the flying enemies have ranged attacks, then they will have to fly in and at least take opportunity attacks and held action attacks. Sometimes that's still an advantage, because it neutralizes two-weapon fighting.
If the flying enemies have ranged attacks and you don't, and you're in an open field, then yeah, you are at a pretty unwinnable tactical disadvantage. That's like not having air superiority in modern warfare or not having cavalry in medieval warfare. Don't put your players in that scenario unless you want them to taste the agony of defeat. Sometimes your players need to learn that they can't win every fight. As long as you give them fair enough warning of what they're going up against, and they still make a dumb choice, provide consequences for it.
Additionally, even if you have tactical superiority, usually flying enemies can get away, and if they're intelligent, they should once they see they're losing. That could be a problem if you were attacking the flying creature to get something from them. Or if they have allies in the area and can alert them to your presence.
My experience with running into flying creatures with poor ranged option was a Manticore when the party was level 2. It eventually ran out of ammunition and left.
Remember, particularly sharp players can even use a grapple as their readied attack, holding the creature down so everyone else can beat it up! They’ll find a way. They usually do. :-)
Wizard (Gandalf) of the Tolkien Club
Environment. Think of ways the players can make use of the battlefield to their advantage, places to take cover that force the flying creature to have to land on the ground and walk to them to be able to attack.
With the momentum from flying, I'd definitely give Advantage on the Grapple Strength check to the peryton.