Air Walk vs Fly [Archive] - Wizards Community

Air Walk vs Fly [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
FrostHammer
11-01-07, 02:30 AM Which spell do you think is better? Flight seems to have all the advantages except for the duration. This is in terms of a melee-type who wants to be able to battle flying enemies.
kuonji
11-01-07, 04:23 AM Air Walk will get you where you want to go, eventually. You can "fly" longer but you will probably be moving slower since the movement with air walk is based around your land speed. Also your ascent is limited to a 45 degree angle. You are literally just walking around in the air.

Fly grants you 40 or 60 feet of movement with good maneuverability and you can move up and down rather quickly and in a straight line. Good for short aerial combats but not ideal for long battles or lengthy chases.
Seeker95
11-01-07, 08:38 AM Depends on whether you need it for travel or combat (which you have defined -- combat). Within combat, the advantages of each depend on your tactics. If you simply need elevation / a 3-D battlefront, then air walk is sufficient. If you want to actually skirmish in combat (hit and run and hit again), then fly gives you the speed and maneuverability that you need.

Probably the most important question is this:
Are you a wizard, a cleric, or a druid? The advantage lies solely with the one you can cast.
FrostHammer
11-01-07, 10:45 AM I'm a Fighter.

Btw, can you use Leap Attack while in the air?
Narthon
11-01-07, 10:57 AM No leap attacking while flying. You can't jump, which is needed for leap attack.
Tectorman
11-01-07, 11:07 AM No leap attacking while flying. You can't jump, which is needed for leap attack.

Which then raises the question: Could you do it while air walking? You're walking on the air (treading on it, anyway), treating the air beneath your feet just like you would the ground (which you can jump off of).
vorpo
11-01-07, 11:25 AM Fly => maneuverability = ?
Air walk => you are walking, no issue w/ maneuverability
vorpo
11-01-07, 11:26 AM Which then raises the question: Could you do it while air walking? You're walking on the air (treading on it, anyway), treating the air beneath your feet just like you would the ground (which you can jump off of).

Just checked. The first line of the spell says "as if walking on solid ground". So, you can jump on solid ground then you can jump while using air walk.
Black Mantha
11-01-07, 11:48 AM If you have a horse animal companion, air walk becomes much better; just choose air walking for its bonus trick and cast it on him. The lower speed isn't much of a problem and your mount can go to over impassable terrain. You might want a ring of feather falling, though, for when you get dismounted.
mvincent
11-01-07, 12:43 PM Which spell do you think is better?Air-walk. Just cast if before a crawl, and it should likely last for most of the day's adventuring (i.e. a couple of hours). This allows you to save spell slots and (more importantly) not spend the 1st round of combat buffing.

Alternately, a Carpet of Flying could allow you to engage flying opponents all day long.
Auorix
11-01-07, 02:39 PM Just fought a BBEG with Airwalk and obscuring mists...very difficult. Not to mention it was the 9th encounter for the day (no resting/praying time for spells). We had resorted to throwing things and standing on horse back to attack him almost. He would have been able to go where he wanted but decided to come down within range and chop a few pcs up. He took a crit in the gut and fell unconcious.

If you have a destination and are going to be going through multiple smaller combats i.e. like during a siege, airwalk might be more beneficial. Like others have stated above, time is the factor in this question.
Legdiwena
11-01-07, 02:44 PM Just hope you don't miss when you jump while high in the air.
FrostHammer
11-01-07, 08:39 PM The flight item I could get is probably Perfect Maneuverability. But gah...airwalk...so expensive as an item...
solbergb
11-02-07, 12:22 PM air walk is sometimes better if the person has a very high land speed (eg monk) or if it's a dumb animal that can be taught the "air walk" trick but can't be induced to fly.

It's rare that "ground speed but 45 degree incline" is actually better maneuverability than "good' (which can go straight up or down, and only needs one square to turn 90 degrees)

Mostly though, the advantage of air walk is duration. Fly often takes a combat action. Air walk often does not.
Sosthenes
11-02-07, 12:49 PM Well, there's difference that hasn't been mentioned yet, but your fellow players probably won't forget to bring up: Image.

Fly == Superman
Air Walk == Wile E. Coyote

;)
vorpo
11-02-07, 02:17 PM Well, there's difference that hasn't been mentioned yet, but your fellow players probably won't forget to bring up: Image.

Fly == Superman
Air Walk == Wile E. Coyote

;)

I will take the coyote image anyday just cuz I don't wear my underwear outside...
FrostHammer
11-02-07, 10:09 PM Actually boots of airwalk aren't as high as I expected. Only 50k. Same as the Cape of the Phoenix which allows perfect flight.
Legdiwena
11-03-07, 12:36 PM What book are those 2 items from?
FrostHammer
11-03-07, 02:16 PM Magic item Compendium. they're both items from a set (different sets)
Dheran
11-04-07, 12:01 PM Air Walk is much better with a mount. You can get Horseshoes of Speed pretty cheaply. A light horse with these moves at 90'. Horses also have the Run feat, if you really need to get somewhere fast.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
FrostHammer 11-01-07, 02:30 AM	Which spell do you think is better? Flight seems to have all the advantages except for the duration. This is in terms of a melee-type who wants to be able to battle flying enemies.
kuonji 11-01-07, 04:23 AM	Air Walk will get you where you want to go, eventually. You can "fly" longer but you will probably be moving slower since the movement with air walk is based around your land speed. Also your ascent is limited to a 45 degree angle. You are literally just walking around in the air. Fly grants you 40 or 60 feet of movement with good maneuverability and you can move up and down rather quickly and in a straight line. Good for short aerial combats but not ideal for long battles or lengthy chases.
Seeker95 11-01-07, 08:38 AM	Depends on whether you need it for travel or combat (which you have defined -- combat). Within combat, the advantages of each depend on your tactics. If you simply need elevation / a 3-D battlefront, then air walk is sufficient. If you want to actually skirmish in combat (hit and run and hit again), then fly gives you the speed and maneuverability that you need. Probably the most important question is this: Are you a wizard, a cleric, or a druid? The advantage lies solely with the one you can cast.
FrostHammer 11-01-07, 10:45 AM	I'm a Fighter. Btw, can you use Leap Attack while in the air?
Narthon 11-01-07, 10:57 AM	No leap attacking while flying. You can't jump, which is needed for leap attack.
Tectorman 11-01-07, 11:07 AM	No leap attacking while flying. You can't jump, which is needed for leap attack. Which then raises the question: Could you do it while air walking? You're walking on the air (treading on it, anyway), treating the air beneath your feet just like you would the ground (which you can jump off of).
vorpo 11-01-07, 11:25 AM	Fly => maneuverability = ? Air walk => you are walking, no issue w/ maneuverability
vorpo 11-01-07, 11:26 AM	Which then raises the question: Could you do it while air walking? You're walking on the air (treading on it, anyway), treating the air beneath your feet just like you would the ground (which you can jump off of). Just checked. The first line of the spell says "as if walking on solid ground". So, you can jump on solid ground then you can jump while using air walk.
Black Mantha 11-01-07, 11:48 AM	If you have a horse animal companion, air walk becomes much better; just choose air walking for its bonus trick and cast it on him. The lower speed isn't much of a problem and your mount can go to over impassable terrain. You might want a ring of feather falling, though, for when you get dismounted.
mvincent 11-01-07, 12:43 PM	Which spell do you think is better?Air-walk. Just cast if before a crawl, and it should likely last for most of the day's adventuring (i.e. a couple of hours). This allows you to save spell slots and (more importantly) not spend the 1st round of combat buffing. Alternately, a Carpet of Flying could allow you to engage flying opponents all day long.
Auorix 11-01-07, 02:39 PM	Just fought a BBEG with Airwalk and obscuring mists...very difficult. Not to mention it was the 9th encounter for the day (no resting/praying time for spells). We had resorted to throwing things and standing on horse back to attack him almost. He would have been able to go where he wanted but decided to come down within range and chop a few pcs up. He took a crit in the gut and fell unconcious. If you have a destination and are going to be going through multiple smaller combats i.e. like during a siege, airwalk might be more beneficial. Like others have stated above, time is the factor in this question.
Legdiwena 11-01-07, 02:44 PM	Just hope you don't miss when you jump while high in the air.
FrostHammer 11-01-07, 08:39 PM	The flight item I could get is probably Perfect Maneuverability. But gah...airwalk...so expensive as an item...
solbergb 11-02-07, 12:22 PM	air walk is sometimes better if the person has a very high land speed (eg monk) or if it's a dumb animal that can be taught the "air walk" trick but can't be induced to fly. It's rare that "ground speed but 45 degree incline" is actually better maneuverability than "good' (which can go straight up or down, and only needs one square to turn 90 degrees) Mostly though, the advantage of air walk is duration. Fly often takes a combat action. Air walk often does not.
Sosthenes 11-02-07, 12:49 PM	Well, there's difference that hasn't been mentioned yet, but your fellow players probably won't forget to bring up: Image. Fly == Superman Air Walk == Wile E. Coyote ;)
vorpo 11-02-07, 02:17 PM	Well, there's difference that hasn't been mentioned yet, but your fellow players probably won't forget to bring up: Image. Fly == Superman Air Walk == Wile E. Coyote ;) I will take the coyote image anyday just cuz I don't wear my underwear outside...
FrostHammer 11-02-07, 10:09 PM	Actually boots of airwalk aren't as high as I expected. Only 50k. Same as the Cape of the Phoenix which allows perfect flight.
Legdiwena 11-03-07, 12:36 PM	What book are those 2 items from?
FrostHammer 11-03-07, 02:16 PM	Magic item Compendium. they're both items from a set (different sets)
Dheran 11-04-07, 12:01 PM	Air Walk is much better with a mount. You can get Horseshoes of Speed pretty cheaply. A light horse with these moves at 90'. Horses also have the Run feat, if you really need to get somewhere fast.