Need Help with Flying Rules [Archive] - Wizards Community

Need Help with Flying Rules [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
KoboldSlayer
08-13-07, 03:51 PM Has anyone found a group of rules for flying creatures/aerial combat that are more simple than the ones in the DMG? None of us a trigonometry experts, and the angles and such are a major problem to visualize and to calculate distances at an angle for ranges of spells, how far things can travel, etc.
Some_call_me_Tim
08-13-07, 04:13 PM For distance when measured at an angle (slant range) take the longer of the two (horizontal or vertical) then add 1/2 of the other distance. It is not exact but works well enough. Just like moving on a diagonal costs 15 feet when in reality it is only 14 feet 1.7 inches.

A dragon is 100' up and 40' in front of the characters. Slant range is 100' (vertical distance) plus 1/2 of 40' (horizontal distance), or a total of 120'. Mathematically, the correct answer is about 108', but 120' is a pretty good guesstimate.

A sorcerer is 100' up and 140' in front of the characters. Slant range is 140'/2 + 100' = 170'. The correct answer is about 172'.

For distance moved use the same formula.
KoboldSlayer
08-13-07, 06:12 PM That easy, huh?

Thank you for doing that math for me. I was trying something much, much more complicated!
mvincent
08-13-07, 07:08 PM For distance when measured at an angle (slant range) take the longer of the two (horizontal or vertical) then add 1/2 of the other distance. It is not exact but works well enough. Actually, your calculations technically follow the D&D rules (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/movementPositionAndDistance.htm):
"Measuring Distance
Diagonals
When measuring distance, the first diagonal counts as 1 square, the second counts as 2 squares, the third counts as 1, the fourth as 2, and so on."

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
KoboldSlayer 08-13-07, 03:51 PM	Has anyone found a group of rules for flying creatures/aerial combat that are more simple than the ones in the DMG? None of us a trigonometry experts, and the angles and such are a major problem to visualize and to calculate distances at an angle for ranges of spells, how far things can travel, etc.
Some_call_me_Tim 08-13-07, 04:13 PM	For distance when measured at an angle (slant range) take the longer of the two (horizontal or vertical) then add 1/2 of the other distance. It is not exact but works well enough. Just like moving on a diagonal costs 15 feet when in reality it is only 14 feet 1.7 inches. A dragon is 100' up and 40' in front of the characters. Slant range is 100' (vertical distance) plus 1/2 of 40' (horizontal distance), or a total of 120'. Mathematically, the correct answer is about 108', but 120' is a pretty good guesstimate. A sorcerer is 100' up and 140' in front of the characters. Slant range is 140'/2 + 100' = 170'. The correct answer is about 172'. For distance moved use the same formula.
KoboldSlayer 08-13-07, 06:12 PM	That easy, huh? Thank you for doing that math for me. I was trying something much, much more complicated!
mvincent 08-13-07, 07:08 PM	For distance when measured at an angle (slant range) take the longer of the two (horizontal or vertical) then add 1/2 of the other distance. It is not exact but works well enough. Actually, your calculations technically follow the D&D rules (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/movementPositionAndDistance.htm): "Measuring Distance Diagonals When measuring distance, the first diagonal counts as 1 square, the second counts as 2 squares, the third counts as 1, the fourth as 2, and so on."