Anyway to simplify Flying??? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Anyway to simplify Flying??? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
MadMan
09-25-06, 01:44 AM For awhile in our game now we haven't been using flight as often as we have in the past. What we have been doing is using flight to avoid AoO's and such but, PC's and NPC's, always ending movement on the ground, such as the DDM rules. We do this because having a character 20 feet away and 60 feet in the air can be a pain in the arse, as we use minis in our game, and can have 30-50 pieces on the board at once. Also the way the rules of flight work it can be hard to figure out direction of movement and turn-around and such.

Does anyone have any recommendations?

Thanx.
IceFractal
09-25-06, 03:09 AM Some possible ideas:

Classify all flight as "Good" or "Poor". Good flight is like "Perfect" flight in D&D - you can do any movement and turn at any time, so no need to keep track between turns. "Poor" flight works the way you're doing it now - all flight has to start and end on the ground, and be in a straight line (you can still fly overland with "poor" flight, but not in a combat situation).

As for keeping track of height, poker chips or checkers could be helpful here - just say that each chip represents 10 or 20 feet and make a stack under the mini.
Darkxarth
09-25-06, 11:19 AM Some possible ideas:

Classify all flight as "Good" or "Poor". Good flight is like "Perfect" flight in D&D - you can do any movement and turn at any time, so no need to keep track between turns. "Poor" flight works the way you're doing it now - all flight has to start and end on the ground, and be in a straight line (you can still fly overland with "poor" flight, but not in a combat situation).

As for keeping track of height, poker chips or checkers could be helpful here - just say that each chip represents 10 or 20 feet and make a stack under the mini.
That may be the best idea I've ever seen for Flying Minis...:clap: :bow:
MadMan
09-25-06, 12:06 PM That is a damn good idea. Thanx aplenty!!! :D
Nytmare
09-25-06, 12:59 PM We have about 100 of these (http://www.michaels.com/art/online/displayProductPage?productNum=bd0022) stackable craft containers with a line painted along one edge to denote direction.

They're more expensive than a box of poker chips, but we like the actual height they lend. We also do a lot of combat measurement with knotted ropes, and the fact that the flight counters are almost exactly an inch high allows us to figure out ranges without consulting Pythagoras.

EDIT - Link should be fixed.
MadMan
09-25-06, 02:13 PM Page could not be displayed. :( I would like to see what you are talking about. We are trying to simplify Flying, and these both sound like good ideas, which we will try. Thanx.
Sulaco
09-25-06, 04:52 PM As for keeping track of height, poker chips or checkers could be helpful here - just say that each chip represents 10 or 20 feet and make a stack under the mini.

Just to expand on this idea:

If you can, track down realy cheap poker chips, the old dinky bargain-store ones. They are smaller, lighter, and have a tooled edge that locks them together so they don't slid around.

Use the different coloured chips for different units of height: white for 5', blue for 10', red for 25' for example. That way you can swap out multiple smller-unit chips for one larger one the higher you get and thus you don't have to balance your mini on a 3" stack.

If you don't want to use the poker chip thing - or even in tandem with it - try using the little plastic "tables" that come in your pizza boz to stop it sticking to the lid. They are tall enough that you can generally place one over top of a medium or smaller figure.
MadMan
09-25-06, 05:05 PM Sulaco?..on these boards? lol Thanks for the ideas, they're all great. btw Sulaco, James the True is my GM. Thew way we have simplified flying is that ALL characters, NPC's and Monsters, whether poor or excellent, have to begin and end their movement on the ground. I know this seems rediculous, but if everyone is doing it it evens out. For example I am playing a 25th level Mage right now, and if we used fly the way we're suppose to, my mage (already too tough) would reak havoc, and I wouldn't need help from any other characters. I could hover in the air with Gr. Invis, and drop sight bombs, and never be touched. I posted this thread to see if J the T and I could come up with something different. We agreed that the next time we play, or the time after that, we may try using these excellent ideas. At the same time though, our main bad guy, using fly as it should be, might just be able to wipe out our whole party lol. So I may have to be content with the way we play it.

Again, thanx for the ideas everyone! Much appreciated. :D
Zariell
09-26-06, 12:50 AM Cheers on the poker chip idea guys, i'll have to adopt that.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
MadMan 09-25-06, 01:44 AM	For awhile in our game now we haven't been using flight as often as we have in the past. What we have been doing is using flight to avoid AoO's and such but, PC's and NPC's, always ending movement on the ground, such as the DDM rules. We do this because having a character 20 feet away and 60 feet in the air can be a pain in the arse, as we use minis in our game, and can have 30-50 pieces on the board at once. Also the way the rules of flight work it can be hard to figure out direction of movement and turn-around and such. Does anyone have any recommendations? Thanx.
IceFractal 09-25-06, 03:09 AM	Some possible ideas: Classify all flight as "Good" or "Poor". Good flight is like "Perfect" flight in D&D - you can do any movement and turn at any time, so no need to keep track between turns. "Poor" flight works the way you're doing it now - all flight has to start and end on the ground, and be in a straight line (you can still fly overland with "poor" flight, but not in a combat situation). As for keeping track of height, poker chips or checkers could be helpful here - just say that each chip represents 10 or 20 feet and make a stack under the mini.
Darkxarth 09-25-06, 11:19 AM	Some possible ideas: Classify all flight as "Good" or "Poor". Good flight is like "Perfect" flight in D&D - you can do any movement and turn at any time, so no need to keep track between turns. "Poor" flight works the way you're doing it now - all flight has to start and end on the ground, and be in a straight line (you can still fly overland with "poor" flight, but not in a combat situation). As for keeping track of height, poker chips or checkers could be helpful here - just say that each chip represents 10 or 20 feet and make a stack under the mini. That may be the best idea I've ever seen for Flying Minis...:clap: :bow:
MadMan 09-25-06, 12:06 PM	That is a damn good idea. Thanx aplenty!!! :D
Nytmare 09-25-06, 12:59 PM	We have about 100 of these (http://www.michaels.com/art/online/displayProductPage?productNum=bd0022) stackable craft containers with a line painted along one edge to denote direction. They're more expensive than a box of poker chips, but we like the actual height they lend. We also do a lot of combat measurement with knotted ropes, and the fact that the flight counters are almost exactly an inch high allows us to figure out ranges without consulting Pythagoras. EDIT - Link should be fixed.
MadMan 09-25-06, 02:13 PM	Page could not be displayed. :( I would like to see what you are talking about. We are trying to simplify Flying, and these both sound like good ideas, which we will try. Thanx.
Sulaco 09-25-06, 04:52 PM	As for keeping track of height, poker chips or checkers could be helpful here - just say that each chip represents 10 or 20 feet and make a stack under the mini. Just to expand on this idea: If you can, track down realy cheap poker chips, the old dinky bargain-store ones. They are smaller, lighter, and have a tooled edge that locks them together so they don't slid around. Use the different coloured chips for different units of height: white for 5', blue for 10', red for 25' for example. That way you can swap out multiple smller-unit chips for one larger one the higher you get and thus you don't have to balance your mini on a 3" stack. If you don't want to use the poker chip thing - or even in tandem with it - try using the little plastic "tables" that come in your pizza boz to stop it sticking to the lid. They are tall enough that you can generally place one over top of a medium or smaller figure.
MadMan 09-25-06, 05:05 PM	Sulaco?..on these boards? lol Thanks for the ideas, they're all great. btw Sulaco, James the True is my GM. Thew way we have simplified flying is that ALL characters, NPC's and Monsters, whether poor or excellent, have to begin and end their movement on the ground. I know this seems rediculous, but if everyone is doing it it evens out. For example I am playing a 25th level Mage right now, and if we used fly the way we're suppose to, my mage (already too tough) would reak havoc, and I wouldn't need help from any other characters. I could hover in the air with Gr. Invis, and drop sight bombs, and never be touched. I posted this thread to see if J the T and I could come up with something different. We agreed that the next time we play, or the time after that, we may try using these excellent ideas. At the same time though, our main bad guy, using fly as it should be, might just be able to wipe out our whole party lol. So I may have to be content with the way we play it. Again, thanx for the ideas everyone! Much appreciated. :D
Zariell 09-26-06, 12:50 AM	Cheers on the poker chip idea guys, i'll have to adopt that.