Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Drag0nUL 08-10-07, 04:28 PM	I have a question. What are the exact rules for tripping things that can fly? I don't mean tripping things while they fly, but while on the ground. I was having a talk with a friend about the viability of tripper builds in high levels and reached the conclusion that most high level stuff is either untrippable due to size/str, either not worth tripping. And from this we got to tripping flying creatures. I have found nothing in the RAW about having to stand upright in order to start flying. So a creature with a maneuverability of good or perfect can, while prone just declare that it starts flying, make a 5ft step out of the tripper's reach and stand up?
DrMorganes 08-10-07, 04:43 PM	Good question! For simplicity, I'd rule that a flying creature must be standing in order to fly. Most flying creatures use some sort of "push" - a vertical jump, leaping off a branch, etc - to get going. This puts grounded fliers on the same level as the rest of us poor earthbound slobs. Of course, there are a variety of options available to allow one to stand from prone. Some allow it as a free action, others as a swift or immediate action, and doing so may or may not draw an attack of opportunity. There are two movement skill tricks which allow this, and I think I've seen at least one feat. I see no reason not to create additional feats or skill tricks which allow a flier to take off from prone. I would limit skill tricks to exceptional individual encounters, and use a feat for something fairly common - but not universally possessed - to a given race. The feat might require Hover as a prerequisite. The difference, of course, is frequency of use. Skill tricks are usable once per encounter; feats can be used as often as required.
Zealot 08-10-07, 05:15 PM	You might also adjust for the method of flight and the level of control the creature has. A creature with a fly speed of perfect might be harder to trip. They require basicaly no effort to go from walking to flying. If the creature requires the use of it's wings and the wings are not extended and ready to use the surprise might be enough to trip them regardless of flight quality.
PenderGrass 08-10-07, 08:02 PM	As per THE RULES OF THE GAME article ALL ABOUT TRIPPING, PART II (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20060321a). Tripping Flyers: A creature flying with wings can be tripped. If the attempt succeeds, the creature stalls and falls 150 feet. See Rules of the Game: All About Movement for details (and a few unofficial additional rules about tripping flying creatures). Creatures that fly without wings (and any creature with perfect maneuverability) can't be tripped while flying. If the creature is still in the air after stalling, it must succeed on a DC 20 Reflex save to recover and resume flying. Otherwise it falls another 300 feet. If it hits the ground, it lands prone and takes falling damage. :dragon: ****
Drag0nUL 08-11-07, 08:07 AM	Thanks. I really didn't know that
trapspringer 08-11-07, 11:46 PM	I didn't realize they took the time to specify the rate of decent. Neat.