Cheap mode of Flight? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Cheap mode of Flight? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
EarthTremor
01-17-08, 09:21 AM Hi folks.

I'm in need of a cheap, practical method of overland flight for a PC I'm creating. All the other PC's in the party he'll be joining have GM-created magic boots that enable them to use overland flight for a 48-hour continous period one per week. Since flight is pretty important at this point of the campaign, I need to give my PC a mode of travel that won't slow down the party.

From the DMG I've located the Broom of Flying and Carpet of Flying (5ft x 5ft), but those cost a little mroe than I was hoping to spend. Figurines of Wonderous Power: Bronze Griffon and Ebony Fly look like options, but each comes with its share of drawbacks.

Can anyone think of any other options? I just need a mode of long-distance transport, it doesn't have to be particularly flash or even magical for that matter.

(I'll be playing a fighter-type character so wands or staves are not an option, cheers).
RavenDrake
01-17-08, 09:24 AM Why not just ask the DM for a pair of those same boots? Unless they'd cost more than your alotment of money...
AtsuiShoto
01-17-08, 09:28 AM Get a pair of magical boots. If such a thing only comes in limited quantities, hunt down the guy who crafted them, give him a good thrashing, and threaten to do it a second time unless he crafts another pair.

See, that's how we get things done in my campaign. Of course, it may be related to the entire dang party being a bunch of melee-centric, chaotic neutral thugs. Tossing a human corpse onto its former coworker's taxidermy shop counter is what this party would call a "diplomacy check", so I may be biased. :eek:
EarthTremor
01-17-08, 09:37 AM Why not just ask the DM for a pair of those same boots? Unless they'd cost more than your alotment of money...

Well he wants me to go by the average character wealth table of the DMG, but I sincerely doubt he's even thought about things like that. He's got a habt of just making up items on a whim, then downgrading them whe he realises what he's unleashed...:confused:

I suppose I can put the question to him. They *are* supposed to be in limited supply, but then he *did* have an NPC just hand them out to bunch of somewhat 'morally confused' PCs.
T_Stalker
01-17-08, 10:37 AM -Get a rope and tie it around some of the other pc's.
-Hitch a ride on the druid when he's wildshaped in a dire bat.
-Jump in the common Bag of Holding, only your head sticking out.
-Let the wizard Polymorf you into something flying.

But honestly, the DM should be the one to bring you the solution. You're just playing the big 'dumb' old fighter.
mvincent
01-17-08, 01:21 PM Can anyone think of any other options? I just need a mode of long-distance transport, it doesn't have to be particularly flash or even magical for that matter.

(I'll be playing a fighter-type character so wands or staves are not an option, cheers).Note that a flying carpet can be particularly useful in combat to a fighter type (so it might be worth the expense), but here are some more options.

Note that relying on a spellcaster in the party is probably the cheapest way... and your party should make an effort to work with you on this, so have them cast one of the following for you:
- Teleport.
- Shadow-walk.
- Overland Flight.
- Phantom Steed

Or you could get a flying mount:
- Griffin
- Pegasus
- Hippogriff
- Half-celestial unicorn
- Dragonne
- zombie Pegasus (tireless)
- Nightmare skeleton (tireless)
- Half-dragon warhorse (... or Half-dragon rhino, lion, tiger, dire animal, Dinosaur, Elephant, etc.)

Or ride in style on the ground in a permanently animated carriage.

Or you could buy boots of levitation (7.5k gp) and just hang on to (or lasso) one of the other characters.
Artector
01-17-08, 01:44 PM Paladin+flying mount...

You could probably convince the DM to make a carpet of flying (or like I've wanted, a surfboard of flying) that's custom....

As far as I can figure you could do something like this:
Overland flight 1/day @ caster level 9 for 9000 Gold. It would give you 9 hours of flight a day.
5x9x2000=90000 (Continuous use item)
9000/2=45000 (Charged)
45000/5=9000 (Charges per day)
|
v
(5/1)

What level are you? Why can't the DM just give you a pair of the boots?
Mindolin
01-17-08, 02:20 PM Play a Halfling or Gnome, and buy Sovereign Glue, a single boot, and a single glove. The Sovereign Glue goes on the glove and boot, so that you don't come undone while flying. An alternate route would be to glue two shirts together, that way you can keep a watch on the party's back. As a bonus, if your party has another fighter, if you're playing a lazy halfling, you can put your shirt on, and convince the other fighter that it's weight training.
Legdiwena
01-18-08, 02:06 PM He gave the boots to everyone else for free and you have to go buy something?
kjenks
01-18-08, 05:15 PM (I'll be playing a fighter-type character so wands or staves are not an option, cheers).

A ranger with a dire bat animal companion.

A fighter or barbarian with the Beastmaster prestige class.

A fighter/druid who rides his flying animal companion.

A mounted lancer makes a lot of sense here. Take the Mounted Combat/Ride-by Attack/Spirited Charge chain and the Power Attack/Improved Bull Rush/Shock Trooper chain with the Lion's Pounce feat and some Extra Wild Shape tossed in and you can dish out some really serious damage (like 20 HP/level on a single charge).

An advanced dire bat animal companion with the Improved Flight feat lets you charge upward with Perfect maneuverability, and that's a major advantage in aerial combat.
MnemonicSV
01-19-08, 01:32 AM Have a hippogriff effigy made for the PC (Effigy creature template, CAr). As it is a construct, it will never tire, never need food or drink, never run off in battle or get spooked, and never question your orders (since the creator can direct it to follow your orders after created). As a creature, it can never be dispelled or suppressed magically. It can even aid in battle, if you don't mind taking the chance it might be destroyed (3d10+30 hp).

It will run you 11,000 GP, but that's not bad for an unlimited 100-ft overland fly speed. Cheaper and faster than a carpet of flying. Longer lasting than a broom of flying. Winged boots don't even come close. Additionally, since it lacks a constitution score it can "run" indefinitely at the cost of it's manueverabilty, for a fly speed of 400-ft... so HOLD ON TIGHT, or get a military saddle.

Hope that helps a little. :)

EDIT: An undead mount (as mentioned above) is also an option, but nobody wants to have their mount turned or controlled. Plus... they tend to be less "socially acceptable." An effigy creature can pass as a real creature, at least from a distance.
EarthTremor
01-19-08, 01:53 AM Have a hippogriff effigy made for the PC (Effigy creature template, CAr). As it is a construct, it will never tire, never need food or drink, never run off in battle or get spooked, and never question your orders (since the creator can direct it to follow your orders after created). As a creature, it can never be dispelled or suppressed magically. It can even aid in battle, if you don't mind taking the chance it might be destroyed (3d10+30 hp).

It will run you 11,000 GP, but that's not bad for an unlimited 100-ft overland fly speed. Cheaper and faster than a carpet of flying. Longer lasting than a broom of flying. Winged boots don't even come close. Additionally, since it lacks a constitution score it can "run" indefinitely at the cost of it's manueverabilty, for a fly speed of 400-ft... so HOLD ON TIGHT, or get a military saddle.

Hope that helps a little. :)

Actually, that's fantastic. Bugger of a thing to repair if you don't have acces to arcane magic but still, perfect for getting from A to B! Cheers! :)
zeritou
01-21-08, 07:25 PM im also gonna suggest the giant raven from frostburn (pg 148), by far cheaper, allowing you to save a bit for more hit die on your effegy when it becomes an absolute necessity
kjenks
01-21-08, 11:37 PM Try this:

Be a human female, small enough to be a light load to a dire bat.

STR14/CON14/DEX14/INT10/WIS14/CHA10 (that's a 28-point build)

1 Druid 1 Mounted Combat, Ride-by Attack
2 Fighter 2 Spirited Charge (and lance proficiency)
3 Druid 2 Power Attack
4 Druid 3
5 Druid 4 (dire bat animal companion)
6 Druid 5 Improved Bull Rush
7 Druid 6
8 Druid 7
9 Druid 8 Shock Trooper
10 Druid 9
11 Druid 10
12 Druid 11 Lion's Pounce
13 Druid 12
14 Druid 13
15 Druid 14 Craft Wondrous Item

As a pouncing lance charger, you'll inflict really, really big damage, like 200 HP/round at high levels.

As your dire bat advances, select Improved Flight and Dive For Cover as feats. Put cross-class ranks into Tumble because bats oughta tumble.

Max out your Ride, Handle Animal, Concentration and Spot. Put your other skill point/level into something fun.
Alleine
01-22-08, 01:00 AM Fail a jump check to land on the ground.:D

It worked in Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy...
Legdiwena
01-22-08, 01:51 PM Fail a jump check to land on the ground.:D

It worked in Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy...

I don't remember that part.
mvincent
01-22-08, 01:57 PM I don't remember that part.From the The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (http://cantbeatfun.com/Mars/hgttg2.htm#Ref39):
"Flying (http://cantbeatfun.com/Mars/hgttg2.htm#Ref39)
There is an art, or rather a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss. Pick a nice day and try it.
... continued (http://cantbeatfun.com/Mars/hgttg2.htm#Ref39)"
Legdiwena
01-22-08, 02:13 PM That's an awesome quote. :rofl:
LordBOB777
01-22-08, 05:30 PM Awesome Quote

How about being a Dragonborn. Pick the aspect that gives you WINGS and your set.

Problem Solved ( i think )
Legdiwena
01-22-08, 05:48 PM Population - none.

It is known that there are an infinite number of worlds, simply because there is an infinite amount of space for them to be in. However, not every one of them is inhabited. Therefore, there must be a finite number of inhabited worlds. Any finite number divided by infinity is as near to nothing as makes no odds, so the average population of all the planets in the Universe can be said to be zero. From this it follows that the population of the whole Universe is also zero, and that any people you may meet from time to time are merely the products of a deranged imagination.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
EarthTremor 01-17-08, 09:21 AM	Hi folks. I'm in need of a cheap, practical method of overland flight for a PC I'm creating. All the other PC's in the party he'll be joining have GM-created magic boots that enable them to use overland flight for a 48-hour continous period one per week. Since flight is pretty important at this point of the campaign, I need to give my PC a mode of travel that won't slow down the party. From the DMG I've located the Broom of Flying and Carpet of Flying (5ft x 5ft), but those cost a little mroe than I was hoping to spend. Figurines of Wonderous Power: Bronze Griffon and Ebony Fly look like options, but each comes with its share of drawbacks. Can anyone think of any other options? I just need a mode of long-distance transport, it doesn't have to be particularly flash or even magical for that matter. (I'll be playing a fighter-type character so wands or staves are not an option, cheers).
RavenDrake 01-17-08, 09:24 AM	Why not just ask the DM for a pair of those same boots? Unless they'd cost more than your alotment of money...
AtsuiShoto 01-17-08, 09:28 AM	Get a pair of magical boots. If such a thing only comes in limited quantities, hunt down the guy who crafted them, give him a good thrashing, and threaten to do it a second time unless he crafts another pair. See, that's how we get things done in my campaign. Of course, it may be related to the entire dang party being a bunch of melee-centric, chaotic neutral thugs. Tossing a human corpse onto its former coworker's taxidermy shop counter is what this party would call a "diplomacy check", so I may be biased. :eek:
EarthTremor 01-17-08, 09:37 AM	Why not just ask the DM for a pair of those same boots? Unless they'd cost more than your alotment of money... Well he wants me to go by the average character wealth table of the DMG, but I sincerely doubt he's even thought about things like that. He's got a habt of just making up items on a whim, then downgrading them whe he realises what he's unleashed...:confused: I suppose I can put the question to him. They are supposed to be in limited supply, but then he did have an NPC just hand them out to bunch of somewhat 'morally confused' PCs.
T_Stalker 01-17-08, 10:37 AM	-Get a rope and tie it around some of the other pc's. -Hitch a ride on the druid when he's wildshaped in a dire bat. -Jump in the common Bag of Holding, only your head sticking out. -Let the wizard Polymorf you into something flying. But honestly, the DM should be the one to bring you the solution. You're just playing the big 'dumb' old fighter.
mvincent 01-17-08, 01:21 PM	Can anyone think of any other options? I just need a mode of long-distance transport, it doesn't have to be particularly flash or even magical for that matter. (I'll be playing a fighter-type character so wands or staves are not an option, cheers).Note that a flying carpet can be particularly useful in combat to a fighter type (so it might be worth the expense), but here are some more options. Note that relying on a spellcaster in the party is probably the cheapest way... and your party should make an effort to work with you on this, so have them cast one of the following for you: - Teleport. - Shadow-walk. - Overland Flight. - Phantom Steed Or you could get a flying mount: - Griffin - Pegasus - Hippogriff - Half-celestial unicorn - Dragonne - zombie Pegasus (tireless) - Nightmare skeleton (tireless) - Half-dragon warhorse (... or Half-dragon rhino, lion, tiger, dire animal, Dinosaur, Elephant, etc.) Or ride in style on the ground in a permanently animated carriage. Or you could buy boots of levitation (7.5k gp) and just hang on to (or lasso) one of the other characters.
Artector 01-17-08, 01:44 PM	Paladin+flying mount... You could probably convince the DM to make a carpet of flying (or like I've wanted, a surfboard of flying) that's custom.... As far as I can figure you could do something like this: Overland flight 1/day @ caster level 9 for 9000 Gold. It would give you 9 hours of flight a day. 5x9x2000=90000 (Continuous use item) 9000/2=45000 (Charged) 45000/5=9000 (Charges per day) \| v (5/1) What level are you? Why can't the DM just give you a pair of the boots?
Mindolin 01-17-08, 02:20 PM	Play a Halfling or Gnome, and buy Sovereign Glue, a single boot, and a single glove. The Sovereign Glue goes on the glove and boot, so that you don't come undone while flying. An alternate route would be to glue two shirts together, that way you can keep a watch on the party's back. As a bonus, if your party has another fighter, if you're playing a lazy halfling, you can put your shirt on, and convince the other fighter that it's weight training.
Legdiwena 01-18-08, 02:06 PM	He gave the boots to everyone else for free and you have to go buy something?
kjenks 01-18-08, 05:15 PM	(I'll be playing a fighter-type character so wands or staves are not an option, cheers). A ranger with a dire bat animal companion. A fighter or barbarian with the Beastmaster prestige class. A fighter/druid who rides his flying animal companion. A mounted lancer makes a lot of sense here. Take the Mounted Combat/Ride-by Attack/Spirited Charge chain and the Power Attack/Improved Bull Rush/Shock Trooper chain with the Lion's Pounce feat and some Extra Wild Shape tossed in and you can dish out some really serious damage (like 20 HP/level on a single charge). An advanced dire bat animal companion with the Improved Flight feat lets you charge upward with Perfect maneuverability, and that's a major advantage in aerial combat.
MnemonicSV 01-19-08, 01:32 AM	Have a hippogriff effigy made for the PC (Effigy creature template, CAr). As it is a construct, it will never tire, never need food or drink, never run off in battle or get spooked, and never question your orders (since the creator can direct it to follow your orders after created). As a creature, it can never be dispelled or suppressed magically. It can even aid in battle, if you don't mind taking the chance it might be destroyed (3d10+30 hp). It will run you 11,000 GP, but that's not bad for an unlimited 100-ft overland fly speed. Cheaper and faster than a carpet of flying. Longer lasting than a broom of flying. Winged boots don't even come close. Additionally, since it lacks a constitution score it can "run" indefinitely at the cost of it's manueverabilty, for a fly speed of 400-ft... so HOLD ON TIGHT, or get a military saddle. Hope that helps a little. :) EDIT: An undead mount (as mentioned above) is also an option, but nobody wants to have their mount turned or controlled. Plus... they tend to be less "socially acceptable." An effigy creature can pass as a real creature, at least from a distance.
EarthTremor 01-19-08, 01:53 AM	Have a hippogriff effigy made for the PC (Effigy creature template, CAr). As it is a construct, it will never tire, never need food or drink, never run off in battle or get spooked, and never question your orders (since the creator can direct it to follow your orders after created). As a creature, it can never be dispelled or suppressed magically. It can even aid in battle, if you don't mind taking the chance it might be destroyed (3d10+30 hp). It will run you 11,000 GP, but that's not bad for an unlimited 100-ft overland fly speed. Cheaper and faster than a carpet of flying. Longer lasting than a broom of flying. Winged boots don't even come close. Additionally, since it lacks a constitution score it can "run" indefinitely at the cost of it's manueverabilty, for a fly speed of 400-ft... so HOLD ON TIGHT, or get a military saddle. Hope that helps a little. :) Actually, that's fantastic. Bugger of a thing to repair if you don't have acces to arcane magic but still, perfect for getting from A to B! Cheers! :)
zeritou 01-21-08, 07:25 PM	im also gonna suggest the giant raven from frostburn (pg 148), by far cheaper, allowing you to save a bit for more hit die on your effegy when it becomes an absolute necessity
kjenks 01-21-08, 11:37 PM	Try this: Be a human female, small enough to be a light load to a dire bat. STR14/CON14/DEX14/INT10/WIS14/CHA10 (that's a 28-point build) 1 Druid 1 Mounted Combat, Ride-by Attack 2 Fighter 2 Spirited Charge (and lance proficiency) 3 Druid 2 Power Attack 4 Druid 3 5 Druid 4 (dire bat animal companion) 6 Druid 5 Improved Bull Rush 7 Druid 6 8 Druid 7 9 Druid 8 Shock Trooper 10 Druid 9 11 Druid 10 12 Druid 11 Lion's Pounce 13 Druid 12 14 Druid 13 15 Druid 14 Craft Wondrous Item As a pouncing lance charger, you'll inflict really, really big damage, like 200 HP/round at high levels. As your dire bat advances, select Improved Flight and Dive For Cover as feats. Put cross-class ranks into Tumble because bats oughta tumble. Max out your Ride, Handle Animal, Concentration and Spot. Put your other skill point/level into something fun.
Alleine 01-22-08, 01:00 AM	Fail a jump check to land on the ground.:D It worked in Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy...
Legdiwena 01-22-08, 01:51 PM	Fail a jump check to land on the ground.:D It worked in Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy... I don't remember that part.
mvincent 01-22-08, 01:57 PM	I don't remember that part.From the The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (http://cantbeatfun.com/Mars/hgttg2.htm#Ref39): "Flying (http://cantbeatfun.com/Mars/hgttg2.htm#Ref39) There is an art, or rather a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss. Pick a nice day and try it. ... continued (http://cantbeatfun.com/Mars/hgttg2.htm#Ref39)"
Legdiwena 01-22-08, 02:13 PM	That's an awesome quote. :rofl:
LordBOB777 01-22-08, 05:30 PM	Awesome Quote How about being a Dragonborn. Pick the aspect that gives you WINGS and your set. Problem Solved ( i think )
Legdiwena 01-22-08, 05:48 PM	Population - none. It is known that there are an infinite number of worlds, simply because there is an infinite amount of space for them to be in. However, not every one of them is inhabited. Therefore, there must be a finite number of inhabited worlds. Any finite number divided by infinity is as near to nothing as makes no odds, so the average population of all the planets in the Universe can be said to be zero. From this it follows that the population of the whole Universe is also zero, and that any people you may meet from time to time are merely the products of a deranged imagination.